Mums, dads and prospective parents took the opportunity to tap into some expert advice on fertility, pregnancy and child health at a free pop-up clinic in Barking.

More than 700 people  attended the event at Barking Learning Centre, run by NHS North East London with support from local GPs and other health and care partners including our Trust.

Building on a series of successful pop-up clinics held in Barking and Dagenham, Thrive Together: Better Health for You and Your Baby Too was organised to provide advice and information to people planning to start a family, expecting a child or caring for a new baby.

Health and care professionals, including GPs, midwives, health visitors and family navigators, were on hand to answer questions and offer advice on a range of topics including fertility, sexual health, preparing for pregnancy, what to expect from labour and birth, babies' and young children’s health, and immunisations.

Among those providing help and guidance at the event, on Thursday 27 February, were clinicians and staff from local GP practices, North East London Local Maternity and Neonatal System, our Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Barking and Dagenham Council, and Mind Havering, Barking and Dagenham.

People also had the chance to undergo a health check, seek confidential housing and benefits guidance and get free financial tips, with a crèche available and stalls offering adult and baby massages, stories and activities for under-fives.

Diane Jones, Chief Nursing Officer at NHS North East London, said: 

Starting a family or having a new baby can be an extremely happy and rewarding experience but we're also very aware it can bring challenges and concerns so, alongside our partners, we’re committed to raising awareness about the issues that commonly arise before becoming pregnant, during pregnancy and following birth.

Our primary aim in organising this event was to give parents and prospective parents access to expert advice and information in a relaxed, informal setting so they feel confident making their own choices when it comes to their own health and their baby's health, so it was great to see such a good turnout and receive lots of positive feedback.

 We will definitely look at running similar events in future.      

  Dr Jagan John, a GP at Aurora Medcare in Barking and a board member at NHS North East London, said:

We've now held a number of drop-in clinics and it has been fantastic working with our local community and partners to provide help and advice to our residents. 

A critical part of work to address health inequalities in Barking and Dagenham involves enabling our residents to be self-empowered and taking action to prevent illness so they and their families can lead healthier, happier lives.

This event was designed to provide information and support for parents and those planning to start a family, so we're delighted that so many people came along and took advantage of the help and advice on offer. It was great to see such an amazing turnout.

  Andrew Deaner, our Chief Medical Officer, said:

Bringing together a huge range of advice and support, in one place, from a range of partners for parents and parents-to-be is a fantastic idea and we were delighted to be involved. 

Starting a family is a momentous time in anyone’s life so being able to ask questions and have a better idea of what to expect from professionals can help people make the best decisions for them while also providing reassurance.