Staff from NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s maternity services are celebrating a landmark year, marking 30 years of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly status and recently achieving the Gold Award accreditation. This is the highest honour available through the programme.
For three decades, NHS Ayrshire & Arran has supported parents and babies through the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, helping families get the best possible start by providing trusted advice, compassionate support and evidence-based care around infant feeding, responsive parenting and early relationships.
The Gold Award is a testament to the high standard of care provided across maternity, neonatal and community services, giving families confidence that they will receive consistent support from skilled staff throughout their parenting journey.
Behind this achievement are generations of midwives, neonatal nurses, health visitors, infant feeding specialists and support staff who have dedicated their careers to helping babies and families thrive. Their passion and commitment continue to make a lasting difference to thousands of families across Ayrshire and Arran every year.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s Executive Nurse Director, Jennifer Wilson, said:
“Achieving the Baby Friendly Gold Award in the same year that we celebrate 30 years of Baby Friendly care is a tremendous achievement for NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s maternity services and one that everyone involved should be incredibly proud of.”
“For three decades, our teams have been committed to providing families with the highest standards of care and support during the earliest stages of parenthood.”
“This award recognises not only the excellent work being carried out today, but also the dedication of generations of staff who have championed infant feeding support, responsive parenting and parent-infant relationships over many years.”
“We were delighted to receive the award to recognise the hard work and commitment of colleagues across our maternity, neonatal and community services. Most importantly, the award gives families confidence that they will receive consistent, compassionate, evidence-based support, regardless of how they choose to feed their baby.”
The Gold Award was formally presented during a recent visit to University Hospital Crosshouse by Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd, providing an opportunity to celebrate the achievement with staff who have helped make it possible.
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said:
“Supporting, protecting, and promoting breastfeeding remains one of the most effective ways to improve the health of mother and baby, in both the short and long term.”
“Not every woman can or wants to breastfeed, but for those that do we will support them to meet their breastfeeding goals and improve their experiences.”
“During World Breastfeeding Week, it is wonderful to celebrate the collective efforts across partnerships and communities in driving positive cultural change across Ayrshire and Arran that supports families and gives babies the best start in life.”
The achievement comes as Ayrshire Maternity Unit at University Hospital Crosshouse celebrates its 20th anniversary, making it a particularly proud year for maternity services in Ayrshire and Arran.
Together, these milestones highlight NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s commitment to providing compassionate, family-centred care and ensuring every baby and family has the best possible start in life.