‘Every mother is supported’: Westmead Hospital hosts breastfeeding ‘train the trainer’ workshop

Western Sydney Local Health District’s Women’s and Newborn Health department recently organised a two-day SCORPIO (Structured, Clinical, Objective, Referenced, Problem-orientated, Integrated, Organised) Breastfeeding Train the Trainer Workshop.

The event took place at Westmead Hospital, bringing together 64 enthusiastic participants from eight Local Health Districts and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.

Carmen Morgan, Director of Nursing and Midwifery (DONM) at Westmead Hospital, and Julie Swain, Deputy Director of Nursing and Midwifery, both spoke at the event, setting the tone for a collaborative and informative experience.

Throughout the two days, the 18 trainers, including skilled international board-certified lactation consultants, joined forces with the multidisciplinary team of midwifery, nursing, child and health nurses, and medical staff.

Their combined expertise proved invaluable in guiding participants towards becoming effective trainers themselves.

This training equipped attendees to take their newfound knowledge back to their respective facilities and organisations, enabling them to facilitate breastfeeding education based on the principles of the World Health Organisation ‘Baby Friendly Health Initiative’ (BFHI) standards with confidence and precision.

In a baby friendly facility, breastfeeding support and best practice maternity care is facilitated and every mother is supported with an informed choice of infant feeding. 

Michelle Simmons, Clinical Midwife Consultant Postnatal / Infant Feeding

“BFHI is an accreditation standard, specific to maternity facilities, that WSLHD is working towards. The learning objectives of the Breastfeeding SCORPIO workshop are based on these standards.”

As a result of collaborative efforts and support over the past three years, significant progress has been made in promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding.

The SCORPIO Train the Trainer workshop is a vital step in building capacity and empowering a growing number of educators committed to the BFHI initiative.