Great news!  Scotland now has 5 hospitals with the Certificate of Commitment to
Baby Friendly!  All 5 hospitals are in the same region (Tayside Health Board,
around the Cities of Dundee and Perth), and have worked together to achieve
this.  What it means is that they have appraised their practice, they have an
action plan and time frame to achieve Baby Friendly status, mechanism for audit,
substantial implementation of steps 1, 7 and 10 of the 10 steps, and a
commitment to improve, and implement the 10 steps fully within 12 months.  the
assessment for the Certificate is by post, and then an informal site visit.
Tayside are leading the way in the UK by having banned Bounty packs, the 'free'
take-home packs for mothers, because Bounty refused to remove ABM advertising.
I hear Bounty are seriously worried - they never thought anyone would go to such
lengths.  Well done, Tayside!!

The UK has a UK standard of 50% bf at discharge  in addition to the Global
standard of 75% bf at discharge.  Tayside should get UK Standard in 1 year, and
part of the on-going commitment is to then work to Global standard.

There are 3 Baby friendly hospitals in UK, 2 Global 1 UK.  Interestingly it is
reported that in the 7 months preparation for assessment, bf rates at one went
from 62% to 70%.  Yes, in 7 months.

UNICEF/Baby friendly Initiative UK report over 40 hospitals in the UK wanting to
be assessed for the certificate.

Mary Broadfoot, Scotland

Who enjoyed her trip to Dundee, through the Perthshire countryside in the
sunshine