The value of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) contract in providing breastfeeding support: FOI release

Information requested

1. the value of the contract with NCT (National Childbirth Trust) to provide breastfeeding support in Scotland and how this is broken down

2. the number of mothers supported during the contract per month and location of the support given

3. the number of peer supporters who have been active each month who are have an externally validated qualification and the number of peer supporters active who don't have an externally validated qualification

Response

I enclose details of some of the information you requested below. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reason why we don't have the information is explained in the Annex. 

ANNEX
1. The value of the contract with NCT (National Childbirth Trust) to provide breastfeeding support in Scotland and how this is broken down.

The NCT received grant funding of £146,794 for the financial year 2020/21. Breakdown as follows:

Core services	Expenditure April 2020-March 2021
Management salaries	£15,000
Project staff salaries	£87,843
Training	£12,851
Travel and subsistence	£3,700
Administration costs	£16,000
Other costs i.e. equipment, resources, CRES	£9,000
Equipment for digital inclusion	£2,400
Overall total	£146,794

The grant funding was paid as part of the Scottish Government’s Breastfeeding Programme. This funding was provided to -

• Support mothers to initiate breastfeeding or expressing breastmilk and to sustain it.

• Recruit volunteers from the three target areas where there are low breastfeeding rates

• Offer peer support to new mothers in a range of settings: 1:1, groups, online, postnatal wards, neonatal wards and baby cafés.

2. The number of mothers supported during the contract per month and location of the support given

No data for the current financial year is available. Scottish Government monitor NCT activity against the grant objectives mid-year and at the end of the financial year. The 2020/21 mid-year report has been delayed slightly until the end of October due the pandemic.

 

In the 2019/20 financial year, NCT advised that: 

• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: approximately 591 mothers were supported in a number of Neonatal units, postnatal wards and in the Baby Cafes across the area, with many of these mothers being supported numerous times.

• NHS Lothian: 65 mothers were supported over 2 sites (Sighthill and Inch Park) from August 2019 to March 2020 and 13 in the South Gyle site from January to March 2020.

• Island Boards: no data held.

Monthly breakdown of the data is not held.

3. The number of peer supporters who have been active each month who are have an externally validated qualification and the number of peer supporters active who don't have an externally validated qualification.

No data for the year is available. Scottish Government monitor NCT activity against the grant objectives mid-year and at the end of the financial year. The 2020/21 mid-year report has been delayed slightly until the end of October due the pandemic.

Data on the number of active peer supporters or their qualifications for the year 2019/20 is not held.

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