Highland Council and NHS Highland are celebrating a major milestone after securing the coveted Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Gold accreditation.
The award recognises services that have fully embedded Baby Friendly Achieving Sustainability standards, ensuring that future generations of babies, mothers, and families will continue to receive the highest level of infant feeding support.
Chair of the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee, Councillor David Fraser, praised the achievement, highlighting the lasting impact of Baby Friendly standards on family wellbeing.
He commended the dedication of Health Visiting Teams, the Family Nurse Partnership, and family support staff for their unwavering commitment to promoting breastfeeding and infant health.
“This award is a testament to the leadership, culture, and systems in place to sustain these high standards long-term,” he said.
Karen MacKay, Senior Health Improvement Specialist and Infant Feeding Lead for NHS Highland, described the award as a remarkable accomplishment.
She emphasised that achieving Gold status required a whole-system approach, incorporating quality improvement initiatives to support families with feeding and early infant behaviour.
Gold status signifies that Baby Friendly standards are not only implemented but deeply embedded into daily practice, leadership, and organisational culture.
Both the Council and NHS Highland first achieved full Baby Friendly accreditation from Unicef in 2013, and this latest recognition further cements their commitment to improving infant health, parental wellbeing, and long-term public health outcomes.
