A Better Start Southend Group based Breastfeeding Support service - Pilot

Tender description

The “A Better Start Southend” (ABSS) programme is seeking to appoint a provider to deliver a group based breastfeeding support service in the A Better Start wards both ante-natally and for up to one year post-delivery. We envisage this support consisting of a number of groups, in each of the A Better Start wards, delivered in appropriate community settings. The overall aim of the service is to increase both initial uptake and retention of breastfeeding rates in the target areas among the target cohort. The target cohort for the groups will be made up of mothers deemed to be at lower risk of not starting breastfeeding and / or continuing to breastfeed. The service will also be expected to work with some mothers who were deemed to be at higher risk of not breastfeeding and / or continuing the breastfeed after birth, but only after they have received one to one breastfeeding support. The one to one support is planned to be delivered through the midwifery service. The group based support service will need to have strong links with the midwifery service; receiving their referrals directly from antenatal midwifery appointments and will also receive some professional oversight from midwifery. These two services make up an innovative approach to delivering breastfeeding support. In conjunction, they will be offered universally, but will not be part of a mandatory pathway, so we also expect that there will be a percentage of mothers who decide not to use the service. Keywords: Breast feeding