Regions neonatal services on track to achieve BFI accreditation
Some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country can be found in the North East and North Cumbria. Work is currently underway to help improve this position supported by the North East and North Cumbria Public Health in Maternity Team, which has been working closely with maternity and neonatal services across the region to help them achieve the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation (BFI) and standardise the level of care and support available to mothers.
The BFI accreditation provides an externally assessed best practice standard framework for maternity, neonatal, health visiting, universities, and family hubs to transform care and support mothers on their breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding is a fundamental public health issue: it promotes a healthy start in life, prevents disease and contributes to reducing health inequalities. Breastfeeding reduces an infant’s risk of respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), childhood leukemia, allergies, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. In addition, breastfeeding lowers the mother's risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
Influences on breastfeeding rates are complex, the decision to breastfeed is influenced by many factors including personal experience, friends and family influence, culture, the media and support and health advice received from Health Care Professionals.
In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, Neonatal Critical Care Review and a North East and North Cumbria project commitment, all maternity and neonatal services are progressing to accreditation with the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) and most recently all university programmes for midwifery and health visiting have begun working towards accreditation and embedding standards in professional education.
All neonatal units in the North East and North Cumbria are now progressing well with the accreditation. Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (FT) are fully accredited, South Tees Hospitals NHS (FT) have achieved Stage 2 and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS FT, County Durham and Darlington NHS FT and Northumbria Healthcare NHS FT are all accredited at stage 1 - with plans in place to achieve stage 2 by the end of 2023. North Tees and Hartlepool NHS FT will reach stage 1 accreditation by the autumn. Whilst North Cumbria Integrated Care and Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trusts are aiming for stage 1 by the end of the year.
As part of the support offer from the Public Health in Maternity team, in achieving a collaborative approach ensuring that all babies receive equitable neonatal care, the region has established a unique North East and North Cumbria neonatal infant feeding network. This is the first in the country across a neonatal network.
The network which meets bi-monthly offers clinical, practical and peer support to all project leads and unit managers. This forum helps to drive forward and maintain momentum in achieving BFI accreditation.
The North East and North Cumbria continues to be committed to changing its cultural norm from formula feeding to a breastfeeding friendly region. Having all neonatal units working together to share practice, will mean there is a more systematic and collaborative approach to enable continuous improvement and quality of care.
Claire Campbell, neonatal care co-ordinator with the Northern Neonatal Network said: "We know breastfeeding can give a child the best start in life with longer term benefits but also recognise support is needed to help mothers. The vision is to see greater increases in mothers making informed choices to breastfeed and have increased support to continue for as long as they wish.
“The ten units in the Northern Neonatal Network are all working towards UNICEF Baby Friendly (BFI) accreditation with our support. This would not have been possible without steering and oversight from the Public Health in Maternity team who have been instrumental in supporting the project from the start.
"Creating the North East and North Cumbria Neonatal infant feeding network has ensured there are resources, training and network opportunities available to teams to help improve breastfeeding take up in our region and the support needed for mothers.”
More information on BFI can be found here: www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/