Freedom of Information Request: 0791

Does your hospital provide facilities for employees to breastfeed or express milk?

Section 15.54 of the NHS National Terms and Conditions of Service states:

“Employers are required to undertake a risk assessment and to provide breastfeeding women with suitable private rest facilities. The Health and Safety Executive Guidance recommends that employers provide:

• a clean, healthy and safe environment for women who are breastfeeding
• suitable access to a private room to express and store milk in an appropriate refrigerator.”

Where a member of staff indicates to their manager that they wish to breastfeed or express milk, these provisions will be applied and a suitable area identified for the individual. There is no set facility for this, it is for each individual area to identify suitable facilities for the member of staff.