On FASD Awareness Day 2024, National FASD released ‘Not Commissioned: Systemic confusion in NHS services for alcohol, pregnancy and FASD’, a biennial progress report on NICE Quality Standard 204 based on Freedom of Information requests.
The report shows that the majority of NHS Integrated Care Boards and NHS Trusts are missing a golden opportunity to protect baby’s brains and futures with their slow, non-strategic and uncoordinated responses to the 2022 NICE Quality Standard 204 on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
The report broadly suggests there is systemic confusion and a lack of coordination and commissioning across the NHS and features case studies to demonstrate the importance of NICE QS 204 and includes a call to action from National FASD.
According to the report, in the north west of England NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria and NHS Greater Manchester integrated care boards had not commissioned specific services for FASD.
But the board in Greater Manchester was praised for taking action to try to implement NICE guidelines. A specific spotlight is shone on Greater Manchester on page 60 of the report where it says:
“Greater Manchester stands out as an ICB that is prioritising NICE Quality Standard 204. Greater Manchester ICB are proactively ensuring that multi-sector services are aware of the kinds of improvements called for in the Quality Standard and they are embedding this work in key planning documents. Full implementation of the standard is a specific priority within the NHS Greater Manchester (GM) Joint Forward Plan”.
It goes on to add on page 80, “Clear national communication about FASD has been lacking. The DRYMESTER campaign and work in Greater Manchester is an example of how this can be done effectively.”
According to Róisín Reynolds, Strategic Lead-Population Health for NHS Greater Manchester, “NHS Greater Manchester takes its responsibilities, for the prevention of harm from alcohol-exposed pregnancies and the need for those with FASD to be diagnosed and supported, seriously. Since 2018, we have been a national exemplar in FASD prevention, awareness raising through our award-winning DRYMESTER campaign, diagnosis, treatment and support. We believe that this work matters and are encouraging other areas to take a similar approach. At the heart of our work are the people who have lived experience of this condition, and we are pleased to continue our relationship with National FASD to develop our Greater Manchester FASD Network, bringing people together and providing resources and support across our local communities.”
The GM DRYMESTER campaign and its resources can be downloaded for free from this website. For localities wanting to commission the prevention campaign in their region, please contact info@drymester.org.uk
