HC Deb 16 October 1995 vol 264 cc143-4W
Ms Jowell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount spent by his Department on the promotion of breastfeeding for each year since 1991; and what is the projected budget for(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [36801]

Mr. Sackville

The expenditure by the Department on publicity materials to promote breastfeeding is as follows:

Financial year £
1991–92 Nil
1992–93 30,000
1993–94 28,000
1994–95 58,000
1995–96 51,000 (estimated)
1996–97 not yet determined

Total expenditure, through section 64 grant aid programme, to voluntary bodies concerned with the promotion and support of breastfeeding, is as follows:

  • 1991–92: 66,000
  • 1992–93: 58,000
  • 1993–94: 70,000
  • 1994–95: 55,500
  • 1995–96: 57,000 (provisional)
  • 1996–97: not yet determined

In addition, we have contributed £38,000—paid over the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96—of the £50,600 funding from the United Kingdom Health Departments towards the costs of the "Invest in Breast" training programme introduced jointly by the Royal College of Midwives and the Health Visitors Association which was launched last May.

Ms Jowell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the potential savings to the NHS of encouraging more mothers to breastfeed their babies in the last five years. [36802]

Numbers of patients on waiting lists on 31 March 1995 who had been waiting for:
Region 0–2 months 3–5 months 6–8 months 9–11 months
In-patients Day cases In-patients Day cases In-patients Day cases In-patients Day cases
Northern and Yorkshire 36,356 37,550 20,677 14,110 12,879 7,028 7,969 3,265
(45.8%) (60.3%) (26.1%) (22.7%) (16.2%) (11.3%) (10.0%) (5.2%)
Trent 26,908 23,728 14,086 8,192 8,538 3,737 4,614 1,674
(48.5%) (63.3%) (25.4%) (21.9%) (15.4%) (10.0%) (8.3%) (4.5%)
Anglia and Oxford 29,759 24,662 16,414 9,517 9,797 4,461 5,742 2,263
(46.7%) (59.2%) (25.7%) (22.8%) (15.4%) (10.7%) (9.0%) (5.4%)
North Thames 40,708 39,115 22,467 16,148 15,817 9,020 11,673 5,935
(40.5%) (51.8%) (22.4%) (21.4%) (15.7%) (11.9%) (11.6%) (7.9%)
South Thames 35,628 39,348 19,694 15,369 13,181 8,685 8,791 5,065
(42.2%) (54.4%) (23.3%) (21.2%) (15.6%) (12.0%) (10.4%) (7.0%)
South and West 37,479 34,739 19,207 12,057 8,362 4,489 2,105 1,043
(55.8%) (66.4%) (28.6%) (23.0%) (12.4%) (8.6%) (3.1%) (2.0%)
West Midlands 25,861 27,933 14,265 11,340 6,877 4,834 128 24
(54.8%) (63.3%) (30.2%) (25.7%) (14.6%) (11.0%) (0.3%) (0.1%)
North West 42,891 48,113 21,309 15,679 12,822 7,674 6,692 3,640
(51.2%) (64.1%) (25.5%) (20.9%) (15.3%) (10.2%) (8.0%) (4.8%)

Note:

Figures in brackets represent proportion of all in-patient or day case patients waiting on 31 March 1995 at each region.

Source:

Provider based Körner returns.

Mr. Sackville

Publicly funded research studies have shown that there are substantial health benefits for babies who are breastfed rather than bottle fed.

The Department's "Breastfeeding: good practice guidance to the NHS" provides an estimate, based on the research findings on the benefits of breastfeeding and of the potential savings to the national health service that could be achieved from increased breastfeeding. The guidance was issued in May and copies are available in the Library.

Ms Jowell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make training on breastfeeding mandatory for general practitioners and other health service professionals. [36804]

Mr. Sackville

The body responsible for general practice vocational training—the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice—expects general practitioners to be skilled in recognising and making appropriate decisions about all health problems presented by their patients. The specific curricular arrangements to achieve these attributes are the responsibility of regional postgraduate organisations.

The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting is responsible for approving—to standards set by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting—institutions to provide courses for these three professions. Midwifery and health visiting courses include breastfeeding.