Greenwich Breastfeeding Strategy

An example of successful partnership working

March 2010

About me

Donah FrancisGreenwich Breastfeeding

Strategy Co-ordinator

0208 921 2537

Donah.francis@greenwich.gov.uk

Why breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding and health inequalities

Breastfed babies born to mothers of lower socio-economic groups have better health outcomes than those babies born to mothers from higher socio-economic groups who are formula fed.

Forster S (2004).

National recommendations and policy priorities Exclusive breastfeeding for six months – followed by

continued breast milk, whilst introducing a more varied diet after this time

Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives (Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2008)

Health Inequalities – progress and next steps (Department of Health, 2008)

Implementation Plan for Reducing Health Inequalities in Infant Mortality: a good practice guide (Department of Health, 2007)

Performance drivers and national targets

PSA 12: Improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people - five key indicators including increasing breastfeeding prevalence at 6–8 weeks (PSA 12.1) and reducing childhood obesity (PSA 12.3)

Vital Signs Monitoring System Indicator (VSB11) and National Indicator Set (NI) 53 – % infants breastfed at 6–8 weeks is included in the NHS Operating Framework (2008-11) and in the National Indicator Set for Local Area Agreements

Greenwich Breastfeeding Strategy Partnership

Greenwich Council: Integrated Support, Children and Families

NHS Greenwich: Public Health and Wellbeing

Greenwich Community Health Services: Public Health Community Nursing Services for Children, Young People and Families

South London Healthcare NHS Trust (Queen Elizabeth Hospital): the Maternity Dept. and Neonatal Unit

Greenwich University: School of Health and Social Care

Vision

To enable all pregnant women in Greenwich to make an informed choice about how they choose to feed their baby - and that if they choose to breastfeed, that they are adequately supported to do so.

Key programmes of work

Quality of care Support in the community Raising the profile Public policy Data collection

UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative

A worldwide initiative which aims to improve quality of care for breastfeeding by implementing best practice standards

Established in 1998 by WHO, Geneva

Acknowledged by NICE and DH (2008)

Local achievements

First in the country to undertake the UNICEF UK BFI co-ordinated approach (2005)

The first borough in London to gain a Stage 1 award (2007)

The first to be awarded Stage 2 for the community in London (2008)

Joint workingGreenwich Council and Greenwich Community Health Services/ NHS Greenwich

Breastfeeding drop-in groups held in local Children’s

Centres

Breastfeeding Advocates who work geographically and are aligned to set Children’s Centres

Training for staff – Children’s Centres (25), Nurseries (44) and Registered Child Minders (447)

Adoption of Volunteer Policy to support a local peer support programme

Joint working (cont.)Greenwich Council and Greenwich Community Health Services/ NHS Greenwich

Local policy which supports breastfeeding in all public services buildings

Greenwich Breastfeeding Strategy Group Meeting chaired on rotation

The Breastfeeding Team currently housed in Greenwich Council with Integrated Support, Children and Families

Direct input into local Children’s and Young Peoples Plan, LAA’s, Safeguarding Inspections etc.

Barriers to partnership working

Working productively against the back-drop of organisational change and poor staffing levels

Implementing change across services with competing agendas and priorities

All-inclusiveness and good communication across all departments and services

Breastfeeding prevalence at 6-8 weeks in Greenwich

GTPCT Breastfeeding Prevalence at 6-8 weeks 2008-11

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Year 2008-09 Year 2009-10 Year 2010-2011

Years

Gro

wth

in %

Targeted Prevalence

Targeted Coverage

Actual Prevalence

Actual Coverage

Breastfeeding prevalence at 6-8 weeks across neighbouring PCTs in South London

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2008/0

9 Q

1

2008/0

9 Q

2

2008/0

9 Q

3

2008/0

9 Q

4

2009/1

0 Q

1

2009/1

0 Q

2

2009/1

0 Q

3

Greenw ichTeaching PCT (5A8)England

Bexley Care Trust(TAK)Bromley PCT (5A7)

Priorities for 2010/11

Continue to improve clinical care and support

Better postnatal support: between transfer home and new birth

visitreview of community drop-in groups

Better insight and targeted support for those women least likely to breastfeed

And finally…