Following on from the successful London pilot for mapping breastfeeding services, a series of breastfeeding questions have been added to the 2009 CSM exercise. These will enable all PCTs to use the online tools that we have developed for London, in partnership with ChiMat. These support the commissioning of breastfeeding services and the delivery of PSA target 12.1. The tools can be found as follows:
On the ChiMat website look for the London breastfeeding mapping atlas and the London breastfeeding PCT profile. These link demographic, service and outcome data.
On the Breastfeeding London website go to:
- ‘results’ and PCT profile to find a downloadable report on breastfeeding service provision in each London PCT
- ‘service directory’ to see what services are available within defined distances from specified postcodes. This directory is enabling London PCTs to deliver on the commissioning requirement of providing information to women about the choice of breastfeeding services and support available to them. With the successful completion of the 2009 mapping exercise these tools will be available nationally.
On 4th December, I delivered training on the CSM exercise in general and the breastfeeding questions in particular to a group of regional Infant Feeding / Breastfeeding Leads. They provided valuable advice on how local Infant Feeding Leads should be involved in the exercise, recommending that Infant Feeding Leads should be set up as Service Group Heads by all relevant NHS organisations so that they can map all dedicated breastfeeding services, including those provided by the voluntary sector. They also committed to taking the results of breastfeeding mapping to regional networks for discussion in the Spring. This is the presentation introducing the CSM exercise that I delivered to them.
Di Barnes 4th December 2009
