Hove mum starts on- line petition against cut in breastfeeding support service
Petition link: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/please-help-protect-our-breastfeeding-support/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button
Sussex Defend the NHS are fully behind local mum, Kim Walker, and her petition to stop the closure of the breastfeeding support services she uses.
In April Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust confirmed that they would be cutting the post of Breastfeeding Support worker as well as going ahead with a 20% reduction in Health Visitors and a 13% reduction in School Nurses.
This will mean the end of extra support in Hangleton and Portslade for breastfeeding mums and the loss of their breastfeeding support groups.
Sussex Defend the NHS spokesperson Janet Sang says – “We know that a £3m budget cut will affect front line services. It is terrible that new mums in a socially disadvantaged area of the city will lose their support services. Where is the risk assessment for this? Local mothers are rightly up in arms. Increasing breast-feeding rates has been identified as a public health priority and the withdrawal of this specialist support will lead to poorer health for the whole community.
(see https://ukbreastfeedingtrends.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/briefing-paper-breastfeeding-cuts-in-england.pdf)
Kim Walker, who started the petition says “We’ve already got more than 250 signatures on our petition to keep Donna (the breastfeeding support worker). I know that lots of us wouldn’t have continued with breastfeeding without her support, and it’s vital that we keep this service. This cut means that many mums will struggle and not be able to go forward with something that is completely natural and what their bodies were made for. Without the support many babies will loose out on so many benefits. It has been a year since I had my son and as he grew new problems developed, without Donna I would not still be breastfeeding today, how can that help be taken away from other mums like me. What are the health bosses thinking?”
Contacts:
Kim Walker: (contact for press supplied)
Janet Sang: Sussex Defend the NHS: 07847144291 or 01273562139
defendthenhs@gmail.com
http://defendthenhssussex.weebly.com
https://www.facebook.com/SussexDefendTheNHS
Petition link: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/please-help-protect-our-breastfeeding-support/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=button
Sussex Defend the NHS are fully behind local mum, Kim Walker, and her petition to stop the closure of the breastfeeding support services she uses.
In April Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust confirmed that they would be cutting the post of Breastfeeding Support worker as well as going ahead with a 20% reduction in Health Visitors and a 13% reduction in School Nurses.
This will mean the end of extra support in Hangleton and Portslade for breastfeeding mums and the loss of their breastfeeding support groups.
Sussex Defend the NHS spokesperson Janet Sang says – “We know that a £3m budget cut will affect front line services. It is terrible that new mums in a socially disadvantaged area of the city will lose their support services. Where is the risk assessment for this? Local mothers are rightly up in arms. Increasing breast-feeding rates has been identified as a public health priority and the withdrawal of this specialist support will lead to poorer health for the whole community.
(see https://ukbreastfeedingtrends.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/briefing-paper-breastfeeding-cuts-in-england.pdf)
Kim Walker, who started the petition says “We’ve already got more than 250 signatures on our petition to keep Donna (the breastfeeding support worker). I know that lots of us wouldn’t have continued with breastfeeding without her support, and it’s vital that we keep this service. This cut means that many mums will struggle and not be able to go forward with something that is completely natural and what their bodies were made for. Without the support many babies will loose out on so many benefits. It has been a year since I had my son and as he grew new problems developed, without Donna I would not still be breastfeeding today, how can that help be taken away from other mums like me. What are the health bosses thinking?”
Contacts:
Kim Walker: (contact for press supplied)
Janet Sang: Sussex Defend the NHS: 07847144291 or 01273562139
defendthenhs@gmail.com
http://defendthenhssussex.weebly.com
https://www.facebook.com/SussexDefendTheNHS
