First Minister John Swinney has outlined government plans for improving pregnancy and perinatal care across the country – a message backed by formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health.
Mr Swinney recently announced his first Programme for Government 2024-25 , foregrounding “an intense focus on early intervention” for both infants and new mothers, among key priorities.
The programme acknowledges persistent global health inequalities for women as well as “increasing developmental concerns among children following the pandemic”.
The First Minister insists that “efforts to address that must start before birth, with the circumstances experienced during pregnancy, at birth and during the earliest years having lifetime impacts”.
Following the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan (2021-2024) and Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC), he says they are committed to “supporting babies, children, and young people through the early, formative years of their life”.
Mr Swinney further pledges to “ensure more women receive care and support from the same midwife from pregnancy through birth, prioritising those who are most likely to benefit, such as minority ethnic women and women with additional social needs”.
Last year, InnoScot Health announced its innovation call targeted at making breakthroughs in pregnancy and perinatal care through the identification of efficient, inclusive new thinking from NHS Scotland staff to promote and support good maternal and child health.
Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea said: “It’s positive to hear the First Minister spotlighting this significant need and championing improvement in an area which we firmly believe can not only benefit from empowered healthcare innovators, but also through recognising wider societal issues such as a gender health gap exacerbated by deprivation.
“It is vital that we come together to improve maternity and neonatal care for all women, babies, and families in Scotland, while placing more focus on inequalities and mental health – the latter in particular being positively