Latest news with #StrategicCommissioningPlan
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Supporting young families and tackling child poverty in South Lanarkshire
The Family Nurse Partnership is designed to support young parents early in life. In South Lanarkshire, a dedicated team is helping transform the futures of young mothers and their children. The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an evidence-based programme designed to support young parents early in life. It is making significant strides in reducing poverty, tackling health inequalities and ensuring the most vulnerable families have the opportunity to thrive. At its core, FNP provides intensive support to first-time mothers aged 20 and under, starting from early pregnancy and continuing until their child turns two. This strength-based home visiting programme is not just about healthcare, it is about building trust, confidence and hope. Stacey Anderson, South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership's locality service manager for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, said: 'For many young parents, the journey into parenthood can be overwhelming, especially when combined with the challenges of financial instability or limited access to support. 'The FNP model addresses these challenges head-on through proactive early intervention. The service stands as a leading example of what can be achieved when care, compassion and collaboration come together — supporting young parents and their children not just to survive, but to thrive. 'What makes FNP truly unique is the way it builds relationships. We aim to help young parents work towards achieving their short and long-term goals and aspirations and through home visiting and structured guidance, create better health and financial outcomes for both parents and children. 'Our nurses build trust over time, often becoming one of the few constants in a young parent's life. That trusted relationship is what makes it possible to have honest conversations about health, parenting, finances and the future.' The FNP model is rooted in early intervention and addressing poverty and inequality. By providing a strengths-based approach, the programme helps improve birth outcomes, reduce risk factors and equip young mothers with the tools to make informed decisions for themselves and their children. Lynsey Sutherland, associate nurse director for South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, added. 'By connecting with young mothers and their child early, we not only improve health outcomes, we change life trajectories. We see mothers gaining confidence, returning to education, securing housing and developing success in achieving their life goals.' FNP aligns directly with South Lanarkshire's new Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025–2028, which names 'Nurture' as one of its five strategic goals — aiming to help more children reach their developmental milestones by ensuring families are supported from the earliest days. Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, said: 'Our delivery of FNP shows the real impact of meaningful, early intervention in changes lives. 'By investing in young children and focusing on evidence-based prevention, we are not only supporting individual wellbeing — we are building healthier, more resilient communities for generations to come. 'Many of our families in South Lanarkshire are also dealing with the challenges of financial hardship, and so our approach to FNP has also been developed to support access to expert assistance and to offer that support with dignity. 'It is yet another wonderful example of our strategic ambitions in action, brought to life by our committed staff and with the support of local people.' Stacey added: 'We make sure that no one misses out by supporting families to access benefits and entitlements, some of which young parents aren't aware of — whether that's financial support, food vouchers, or guidance through benefit changes, such as ensuring access for parents without a National Insurance number. 'This is done through regular screenings and referrals and help alleviating financial stress and promoting healthy child development.' Lynsey said: 'When we talk about addressing poverty, we need a whole-system approach. The team works hand-in-hand with valued partners, including the Council's Money Matters Service, local voluntary groups and the Child Poverty Action Group, to ensure holistic support across housing, education, employment and health. FNP brings together the clinical, the practical, and the emotional — connecting families to the right support at the right time. That is what creates lasting change.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Breastfeeding support group helps build lifelong connections and confidence
Meeting every Friday at the Village Centre, the group offers a safe, welcoming space for mums. A breastfeeding support group in East Kilbride is being celebrated for its powerful role in nurturing new mums and their babies — providing both practical advice and emotional support that is helping to create lasting bonds and boost confidence in early parenthood. Meeting every Friday at the Village Centre, the group offers a safe, welcoming space for mums at all stages of their breastfeeding journey. Whether they're seeking advice, a confidence boost, or simply the company of others who understand, the group has become a lifeline for many — including mum-of-two Faith Dawson-Bowman, who moved to the town from Crewe to study and stayed to raise her family. Faith, mum to five-month-old Erraid and three-year-old Finlay, said: 'It was my lifeline when I had a tough week. The group is completely non-judgemental — people are on the same wavelength. I learned so much there with my first, and now with my second I feel more confident. I've also been able to support other mums too.' As well as supporting breastfeeding itself, the group fosters strong peer connections. Faith shared how it helped her find 'best mum friends' and a support network that continues to meet regularly and chat daily. The group is supported by Tracy Brown, a healthcare support worker with South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, who is a consistent presence each Friday and sees the strength of the group first-hand. Tracy said: 'The peer support between the mums is truly outstanding. Some mums come every week, some drop in when they need to — whether it's for help, a listening ear, or just the social aspect. It's lovely when we see mums come back again with their second baby.' Health visitor Lesley Adams added: 'We visit new mums as soon as possible after they're discharged by the midwife. That's often when breastfeeding is toughest — particularly if a mum is recovering from a caesarean or a difficult birth. We promote these groups right from our first visit because they offer the kind of nurturing, judgement-free environment mums really need.' The group, open to both antenatal and postnatal mums, also encourages social outings in local cafes that proudly display their breastfeeding-friendly credentials. This grassroots support aligns directly with South Lanarkshire's new Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025–2028, which names 'nurture' as one of its five strategic goals — aiming to help more children reach their developmental milestones by ensuring families are supported from the earliest days. Jill Irwin, interim associate nurse director for South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, said: 'Our staff play such an important role in the breastfeeding journey — offering support, encouragement and expert care to mums and families across our communities. 'We're incredibly grateful to all the mums who engage with our services and provide such valuable feedback. It allows us to continually shape and tailor our support to meet the needs of families locally. 'What we're seeing through groups like the one in East Kilbride is the enduring strength of peer support. As Faith has shared, these groups can help build lasting friendships and create a powerful network that extends far beyond the weekly meet-up. With a breastfeeding group available every day across South Lanarkshire, the message is clear — no one has to navigate early parenthood alone.' Latest figures show that over half of South Lanarkshire infants received breast milk in 2024, with figures rising every year and an increase of seven per cent in the past three years. Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer of South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, added: 'It was lovely to meet Faith and Erraid, and to hear first-hand the difference that the expert advice and thoughtful support provided by our dedicated staff can and is making to their family and others. 'It's really encouraging that more than half of infants received breast milk last year. Our priority is to support new mums and ensure they have an informed choice — and initiatives like this show how we can work together with families to make that a reality. 'By nurturing new families through meaningful, community-based support, we are helping children get the very best start in life. It is a wonderful example of our strategic ambitions in action, brought to life by our committed staff and with the support of local people.' With groups now running daily across the area, mums can access local, trusted support whenever they need it — whether for advice, a friendly chat, or simply reassurance that they are not alone. The East Kilbride breastfeeding group meets at the Village Centre 11.45am on Fridays. All other breastfeeding groups across South Lanarkshire can be found on
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
New three-year plan sets out South Lanarkshire's ambitions for health and social care
South Lanarkshire's Integration Joint Board (IJB) has approved its Strategic Commissioning Plan for 2025–2028, setting out clear and focused ambitions for health and social care over the next three years. Against the backdrop of significant and complex challenges for health and social care, it targets five strategic goals – summarised as Nurture, Access, Flow, Recovery and Protect – as the key priorities for service delivery and transformation. Lesley McDonald, outgoing chair of the South Lanarkshire IJB, said: 'We know the difference that effective health and social care services make to the lives of thousands of people across our communities each and every day. 'We should celebrate the progress that our staff have delivered over the last three years, which provides the robust platform for the important work to come. In the face of increasing demands, escalating costs and pressurised resources we also know that the status quo is unsustainable. 'That is why each of our strategic goals tackles a critical challenge head-on – from supporting more children to meet their developmental milestones, to shifting the balance of care from hospital to community settings and improving access to primary care.' Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer of South Lanarkshire IJB, added: 'One of the privileges of my role is that I get to see first-hand the impact that our capable and compassionate staff can and do make on a daily basis. I also know how deeply their professionalism and dedication is valued by local people – from supporting infants and parents right through to providing care and comfort to those requiring end-of-life care. 'Our strategic goals reinforce our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and at-risk within our communities. In committing to these goals we are both addressing the realities of a very challenging environment, and pursuing opportunities to innovate, integrate, and drive improvement – together with our communities, staff and partners. 'My thanks then to all of our staff and to our partners for their ongoing dedication and their drive to embrace new ways of working and models of care. And my thanks to our patients, service users, informal carers and communities for their encouragement, their feedback and their support as we continue to strive to do our best by them.' The IJB's Strategic Commissioning Plan is aligned with national and local strategies including NHS Lanarkshire's Our Health Together, South Lanarkshire Council's Connect Plan and the South Lanarkshire Community Plan. It also reinforces the IJB's long-term ambition to improve life expectancy and contribute to narrowing health inequalities across the area. The Strategic Commissioning Plan focuses on five key strategic goals: ■ Nurture – to support more children to reach their developmental milestones. ■ Access – to improve the accessibility and range of primary care services. ■ Flow – to shift the balance of care from acute to community services, including reducing delayed discharges. ■ Recovery – to reduce harm from substance misuse and reduce drug related deaths. ■ Protect – to strengthen public protection arrangements help keep vulnerable children and adults safe from harm. Five key enabling drivers – catalysts for change – are also identified as critical to delivery, namely financial sustainability; workforce development; carers support; digital development; and collaborative innovation. * Don't miss the latest he adlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook ? Head on over and give us a like and share!
