I want to add my welcome to Narelle Clarke's welcome to our new French
subscriber.  Narelle is quite correct in saying that there are two
accredited BFHI hospitals in Australia, and that there is a great interest
in BFHI here.

Unfortunately there has been a hiatus in doing further assessments.

A National Steering Group was set up about 4 years ago with representatives
from the various professional bodies involved in breastfeeding (College of
Midwives, Australian Lactation Consultants' Association, Royal Australian
College of General Practitioners, College of Paediatricians, College of
Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, NMAA and some other bodies).  I represented
NMAA on this body, Lisa Amir (Lactnet subscriber) represented the RACGP and
Maureen Minchin represented ALCA. The first year was spent in developing
policy, teaching about BFHI, adjusting the assessment tool to make it
workable in Australian conditions and generally doing a lot of groundwork.

I was a member of the assessment teams for both of our BFHI hospitals (one a
small private hospital, the other a large public teaching hospital).  The
initial phase of BFHI was not dependent on WHO in any sense.  We worked
under the UNICEF umbrella, with some funding from them.  We also did our own
fund raising by selling kits of materials and receiving a proportion of fees
paid by registrants at BFHI workshops.

We were so successful that many hospitals applied for assessment.  UNICEF
reconsidered its position and saw that BFHI did not fit its charter of
helping developing and not developed countries.  There was a decision by
UNICEF in mid 1994 not to accredit any more Australian hospitals.  In
December 1995, the Australian College of Midwives was appointed by UNICEF as
the administrative body for BFHI. ACMI gave assurances that it would set up
a body similar to the National Steering Group (ie representing the various
professional organisations) to oversee BFHI.  I hope that ACMI will set up
this body quickly so that all those hospitals who have applied for
accreditation and those working towards it can see the way ahead in the near
future.  It would be a great pity if all the hard work that went into the
development up to this point were to go to waste.

This is just a short(!) overview of BFHI in Australia.  Lisa Amir may like
to add some comments from her perspective.  Both of us would be happy to
answer any questions on this.

Philippa Thomson
Melbourne, Australia