Breastfeeding mums hit out at NHS Lothian over cuts to ‘vital’ service

A breastfeeding mother. Pic: Shutterstock

Pregnancy and Parents Centre, a charity which runs support groups for parents, has been contacted by dozens of “desperate mums” after cuts to walk-in clinics across NHS Lothian. The charity has accused the health board of “gatekeeping” support for new mothers.

It comes after vital face-to-face help for breastfeeding mothers was slashed by 60 per cent. Five weekly, half-day specialist breastfeeding clinics held in community centres were shut in December 2017. The clinics were staffed by breastfeeding specialist midwives who saw up to 50 women each week. The walk-in service was replaced with two weekly clinics at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and St John’s in Livingston, helping just 12 women a week.

Since the changes, mothers who need specialist support have to be referred by a health visitor or midwife to a clinic. The charity said mothers who are able to access the service have to wait more than a week.

Daisy Dinwoodie, a trustee at the Pregnancy and Parents Centre said: “We have seen a massive increase in calls from mums since the closures. Last week we had dozens of desperate mums. The majority have babies under three weeks old.

“We speak to many women who have found it very difficult or impossible to secure a referral to the specialist breastfeeding clinics. Over a quarter of babies seen at the drop-ins were malnourished or losing weight. That shows the urgency of the support.”

Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh South, said: “The situation is of huge concern. We have long understood the health benefits for mum and child and also the issues mums face when breastfeeding. It’s vital that funding be found to restore these services.”

Professor Allison McCallum, director of public health and health policy at NHS Lothian, said: “It is our aim that every mother will have easy access to a support group.”