§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to encourage more hospitals in England to seek baby-friendly accreditation from UNICEF by promoting increased uptake of breast feeding. [135034]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 29 October 2003]The Department works closely with the UK Baby Friendly Initiative to help further the mutual aim of promoting increased uptake of breast feeding. It is for local national health service trusts to decide whether to seek baby-friendly accreditation from UNICEF.
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that student(a) midwives and (b) health visitors receive adequate education on breast feeding as part of their preregistration training. [135043]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 29 October 2003]The regulatory Council for Nursing and Midwifery sets the standards and outline requirements for pre-registration nurse and midwifery education. Additional content may be included to reflect the employment needs of the local service providers. National health service trusts, as local service providers, will wish to ensure that their staff receive adequate education on breast feeding to enable them to deliver the targets in the Priorities and Planning Framework to increase breast feeding initiation rates. In the NHS Plan, the Government have made a commitment to provide increased support for breast feeding.