Speaking to the national Breastfeeding: a public health priority conference in London today, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, said the UK, the sixth largest economy in the world, is lagging behind most other high-income countries on mortality, breastfeeding and obesity rates.
To tackle health inequalities and improve early intervention services, he said a Labour Government would introduce a mandatory health visit at three- to four-months-old, a time that experts say is critical after a child’s birth in supporting continued breastfeeding and when mothers are at substantial risk of perinatal mental health.
The party would commit £25 million for health visiting to fund the pledge, paid for through Labour’s National Child Health Fund, announced in the General Election.
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