The Trust's Health Visiting Service has been recognised for its high-quality care and support for families, maintaining a prestigious award.
By Aisha Mahmood
••2 min read
AI
Generic image of a baby's hand holding an adult's finger.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust has successfully retained its Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) reaccreditation, recognising the high-quality care and support its Health Visiting staff provide to families in Walsall.
The Baby Friendly Initiative, established by Unicef UK, aims to enhance outcomes for babies, mothers, and families by ensuring health and public services offer evidence-based support for infant feeding and early parent-infant relationships. The standards are designed to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge to enable best practice in breastfeeding, responsive feeding, and building parent-infant relationships.
The Trust’s Healthy Child Programme, part of the 0-19 Health Visiting Service, was first BFI Accredited in 2017. The service has focused on continuous improvement to maintain this award and was reaccredited earlier this year.
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"The Health Visiting Service, with training, and support from its’ Infant Feeding Team, has worked incredibly hard over the last eight years to consistently ensure a high standard of care for babies, mothers, and families in Walsall. We were pleased to hear the assessors were impressed with the way the programme is delivered and evaluated within the service – highlighting a well-educated workforce and positive outcomes described by families."
During a week-long assessment, assessors interviewed staff and reviewed service policies, guidelines, and training materials, while also gathering feedback from families about their experiences.
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"We are so proud of this forward-thinking team. The reaccreditation is all thanks to their enthusiasm, commitment, and innovative ways of working. Importantly, it acknowledges how the service reflects the voices of those in our care. I’d like to thank the team for their efforts, it’s clear many families have benefited already, and many more will feel that positive impact, no doubt."
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"This is a testament to the hard work of those involved. Well done everyone – it’s something to be incredibly proud of."
Feedback from mothers highlighted the ongoing support provided by staff, including clear explanations and a compassionate approach. The team has received a certificate recognising this achievement. As a fully awarded BFI facility, the Health Visiting Service will undergo external reassessment in three years’ time.
