Thank you so much for your support.

I have received a response from Scottish Government RE their decision to cut funding - please see below. 

Whilst I understand the rationale for funding decisions being undertaken in local areas, it remains the case the overall budget has been cut. It is encouraging rates are improving, but we still have a long way to go as a country and this is still an area that requires investment- not cuts. 

There are also still no breastfeeding volunteers on wards in Glasgow. I will seek clarification on this and ongoing funding 

“Dear Dr Sophie Equi,

Thank you for your email of 3 June to the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto MSP, regarding your concern over the closure of Breastfeeding Buddies groups. As a member of the team responsible for maternal and infant nutrition policy, I have been asked to respond.

Following additional investment in breastfeeding support of over £11m in the past seven years, breastfeeding rates in Scotland have continued to increase and we now have the highest rates on record at 6-8 weeks at 49%. That is largely down to the way that local areas, through their NHS infant feeding leadership teams, maternity and community leadership, have co-ordinated the tiered model of support within their localities, including for peer support. Part of that investment has included some year-on-year funding to third sector breastfeeding charities to support both the coordination of groups within a few health boards areas and to enable them to build stronger relationships with the local community leaders. The end goal has always been to provide local areas with the access to tools and evidence-based interventions to support their breastfeeding activity in a way that meets their local needs.

As you have outlined, difficult funding decisions have had to be made this financial year. To aid that decision making, the ongoing investment to support improvements in breastfeeding has been provided to local areas, to enable local decision making in line with their strategic aims. That approach has also enabled a move from year-on- year funding, with the uncertainty that brings, to a more sustainable funding approach which is within NHS Boards remit to allocate as they see fit. This has resulted in a reduction in direct funding to third sector breastfeeding charities in order to provide more scope to NHS Boards local decision making that provides robust foundations for the longer term. Ultimately, they may also have had to make different decisions when setting this direction.

We remain wholly committed to supporting all women in their infant feeding choices, and for those who choose to breastfeed, to both improve their experiences and support them in achieving their breastfeeding goals. We continually monitor the breastfeeding rates, across Scotland and work closely with NHS Boards to ensure they are doing the same.

It may also be helpful to note that we recently published our Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding Strategic Framework, to set out our direction of travel on breastfeeding over the next five years. This is in recognition of our ongoing commitment to embed evidence-based support and interventions that are shown to make a difference in Scotland.

I hope that my response will be helpful in setting out the ongoing commitment by Scottish Government to support breastfeeding mothers and infant feeding journeys.

Yours sincerely

Rachel Connolly

IHW : Supporting Maternal And Child Wellbeing”