AQW 5504/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 05/02/2024
Answered On Date: 12/02/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) when the Public Health Agency will update its advice on bedsharing with infants to be in line with NHS advice; and (ii) what the timescale is for the removal of previous advice.

Answer:

The current Public Health Agency (PHA) guidance, revised in October 2022, is in line with NHS guidance. The information contained in the books “Birth to Five” (2023) and “The Pregnancy Book” (2023), which are issued to all expectant and new parents also contain the same advice relating to safer bedsharing as the recently published NHS guidelines.

However, following the recent media publicity relating to safer bedsharing, the PHA is planning to review and further update its guidance within the next few weeks.