Community Infant Feeding Support
Kent County Council
Opens: 23 Oct 2017
Closes: 3 Dec 2017
The consultation, originally launched on 18th July, has been reviewed and is relaunched here as outlined in Paul Carter’s statement posted on the Kent County Council consultation page on 4 August.
We would like to hear your views on proposed changes to how Community Infant Feeding Support is provided in Kent. Currently generic support is provided by the Health Visiting Service and specialist support is provided by PS Breastfeeding CIC.
The proposed model is that from 1st April 2018 the Health Visiting Service (provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT)) will deliver all infant feeding support. In designing the proposed model, Kent County Council has looked to ensure that families are still able to access the support they need, at the same time as making best use of the existing professional skills and resources within the Health Visiting service.
KCC is confident that Health Visitors can now deliver generic and specialist breastfeeding services in addition to the mandatory universal contacts and support it provides, and therefore does not wish to commission provision which duplicates the health visiting offer.
Health Visitors are nurses or midwives who have received further higher education in public health and are on the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register as Specialist Community Public Health Nurses. This means the training they have received makes them fully qualified to undertake this important work.
In addition to the specialist public health training, 93% have undertaken the evidence-based UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative training to support women in the antenatal and postnatal period to ensure that they make informed decisions over feeding.
In this proposal, the Health Visitors will provide an additional 36 breastfeeding clinics run by health visitors and peer supporters. Specialist support will be provided by the Health Visiting service when and where it is needed.
There will be four Breastfeeding Champions in each of the 12 Districts (a total of 48), to support colleagues and families and to promote Breastfeeding Welcome. It is proposed that initially there will be at least four Specialist clinics a week across Kent. This will involve one clinic in each of the following areas; East Kent (Maidstone, Swale and Canterbury), West Kent (Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Malling and Ashford), North Kent (Dartford, Gravesham and Sevenoaks) and Kent Coastal (Shepway, Dover, Deal and Thanet). As the NHS has access to 111 venues, these clinics will be flexible and will be held in the areas that have the highest number of referrals to reduce the amount of travel time for families.
The consultation on this proposed model will run from 23rd October to 3rd December 2017.
Have your say
Before responding, we strongly recommend that you read the full consultation document which can be found in the ‘Consultation Documents’ section below or by clicking here.
We have also included a Frequently Asked Questions document which can be used along side the full consultation document.
Consultation responses will be used to improve the draft model and associated service specifications, helping to make sure that they are designed around the needs of Kent residents.
Whether you are a past, current or future user of these services, a carer or relative of a service user, a member of the public, an existing or potential provider of services, or another stakeholder we are keen to hear your views and experiences.
How to Respond
You can fill in our online questionnaire by clicking here, or on the link below. Alternatively you can download a copy from the document section below and hand it in at your local Children’s Centre.
Please ensure your response reaches us by 3rd December 2017.
Alternative formats: If you require any of the consultation material in an alternative format or language please email alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 421553 (text relay service number: 18001 03000 421553). This number goes to an answering machine, which is monitored during office hours.
Privacy: Kent County Council collects and processes personal information in order to provide a range of public services. Kent County Council respects the privacy of individuals and endeavours to ensure personal information is collected fairly, lawfully, and in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Consultation Documents
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Consultation Document (PDF version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Consultation Document (Word version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Summary Document (PDF version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Summary Document (Word version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Supplementary Information (PDF version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Supplementary Information (Word version)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Questionnaire (PDF)
- Community Infant Feeding Support – Questionnaire (MS Word)
- Equality Impact Assessment (PDF version)
- Equality Impact Assessment (Word version)
- Frequently Asked Questions (PDF version)
- Frequently Asked Questions (Word version)
Respond to this Consultation
Consultation Links
Consultation Summary
| Name | Community Infant Feeding Support |
|---|---|
| Description | KCC is consulting on proposed changes to how Community Infant Feeding Support is provided in Kent. Currently generic support is provided by the Health Visiting Service and specialist support is provided by PS Breastfeeding CIC. The proposed model is that from 1st April 2018 the Health Visiting Service (provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT)) will deliver all infant feeding support. |
| Dates | From 23 Oct 2017 at 13:00 to 3 Dec 2017 at 23:59. |
| Status | Open |
| Consulting Organisation Type | Kent County Council |
| Consulting Organisation Name | Kent County Council |
| District / Borough areas affected by the consultation | Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells |
| Consultation Topic | General interest, Children and families, Healthcare and public health |
| Consultation Methods | Online survey / questionnaire / forms |
| Contact Details |