Louise M Wallace is Professor of Psychology and Health and Director of the Health Services Research Centre at Coventry University. Following a career as a Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist, she had nine years in NHS general management, including 6 years as Chief Executive of an acute hospital trust. She is currently non-executive director of a PCT. Her research spans health behaviour research, health management and health and ethnicity. She will present work from several research and consultancy projects that are relevant to developing breastfeeding strategies in the NHS.

Abstract:

The importance of breastfeeding to achieving a wide range of public health benefits to children and mothers has been long established. The new NHS target is for PCTS to increase breastfeeding initiation by 2% p.a. in those least likely to breastfeed, and this has put the spotlight of NHS management on breastfeeding research and on those practitioners whose skills are needed to turn evidence into practice. Results of research on midwifery support for breastfeeding mothers has been used to highlight areas for action. Given the importance of skills and knowledge of staff and lay supporters who assist mothers and babies, development of new approaches to training and assessment are described. The approach to consultancy with local PCTs is described. Using a social marketing approach, key stakeholders' views can be harnessed for effective local action.