Supporting women after fetal anomaly news: FOI release

Information requested

1. Can you advise what funding you provided to ARC for their project?
2. How did the ARC project fit with the work of your department?
3. What was the money to be specifically used for?
4. Did ARC apply for the money through a specific funding channel, or was it applied for in some other way?
5. The ARC project is focused on women and families 'facing' a termination for fetal anomaly. It would be ideal if more resources were also be available for women and families facing the birth of a baby with a fetal anomaly. Is this something you would also be willing to support?

Response

In response to your request, please see answers below.

Can you advise what funding you provided to ARC for their project?

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) were awarded grant funding totalling £9,528 over the financial year/s 2020 to 2021.

How did the ARC project fit with the work of your department?

The project aims to develop resources to improve the experience of women and couples undergoing termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (TOPFA) in Scotland. This work supports the implementation of the recently launched Scottish National Bereavement Care Pathway for TOPFA which falls under our policy area.

What was the money to be specifically used for?

We provided funding to ARC to produce a leaflet and online resources for women and couples considering termination of pregnancy after a prenatal diagnosis in a Scottish NHS setting. The funding specifically covered office expenditure, staff costs and management.

Did ARC apply for the money through a specific funding channel, or was it applied for in some other way?

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) applied for funding through the Improving Health and Wellbeing fund under the Section 10 grant funding scheme. The Scottish Government Maternal and Infant Health Branch invited applications from voluntary organisations to apply to assist them in Improving Health and Wellbeing services across Scotland. I have attached a link to link to the online information on the s10 grant funding scheme on the SG website - Voluntary organisations: section 10 funding scheme information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The ARC project is focused on women and families 'facing' a termination for fetal anomaly. It would be ideal if more resources were also be available for women and families facing the birth of a baby with a fetal anomaly. Is this something you would also be willing to support?

The Scottish Government considers a range of projects under the Improving Health and Wellbeing fund under the Section 10 grant funding scheme. The Scottish Government will consider all projects that meet the policy priorities for each year. It is open to Don't Screen Us Out to apply for future funding if the project meets the criteria for funding. This is a competitive scheme and frequently receives applications for grant funding in excess of the total funds available and therefore, funding cannot be guaranteed for all applicants.

The Scottish Government would encourage anyone with concerns or worries about their pregnancy to speak to their midwife or GP in the first instance. Every woman in Scotland receives a copy of Ready, Steady, Baby! as part of their routine antenatal care. The information in Ready, Steady, Baby! is also available online via the NHS Inform website and includes information on the screening programmes available as part of antenatal care. Links to Ready, Steady, Baby! information on pregnancy screening in Scotland and screening for Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome is available on the NHS Inform website.

About FOI

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