Tongue Tie - FOI Response Register

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Please see below a request for the following information relating to tongue tie in babies aged 0-12 months.

1. How many babies were born within your trust between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

205 – This includes babies born in NHS Shetland and Shetland residents who delivered off island.

2. How many babies were diagnosed with ankyloglossia (tongue tie) between Jan1st 2022 and December 31 2022 at your trust?

17

3. On average how many days after birth was a tongue tie diagnosis made between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

47

4. How many babies diagnosed with tongue tie were referred for a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

16

5. Is the frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) available to babies who are fully formula fed?

Yes

6. How many frenotomy procedures (tongue tie division) were carried out on babies at your trust between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

16

7. What was the average waiting time in days between diagnosis/ referral and a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

4.5 days

8. How many women had to wait 3 weeks or longer after a referral for a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) or their baby between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

One – parental choice.

9. How many women waited more than 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks or longer for a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) for their baby between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

None

10. What is the longest amount of time a women had to wait after a referral for a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) for their baby between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

4 weeks and 4 days – parental choice.

11. If there is no tongue tie division service in your trust how many referrals were made to an alternative NHS Service for tongue toe division?

N/A

12. How many women declined the offer of a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) within the NHS between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022?

None

13. Of the women who declined the offer of a frenotomy procedure (tongue tie division) within the NHS between Jan 1st 2022 and December 31st 2022 are you aware how many sought treatment privately instead?

N/A