Healthy Start and

Early Years

NAME

Healthy Start Lead

PCT Name

What is Healthy Start?

• Replaced Welfare Food Scheme in 2007

• A statutory scheme

• A nutritional safety net

• Encourages breastfeeding/healthy eating

• A public health tool

Healthy Start

Introducing Solid Food

Start4Life

Active play

Baby Life check

Breastfeeding

Inter related infant health

initiatives

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What does it provide?

Vouchers: Vitamins:

Liquid milk For women Fresh fruit and veg For childrenInfant formula milk

AND: Information on breastfeeding and healthy eating

Who is it for?

Pregnant women and families with children under four getting:

• Income Support, or• Income Based Jobseekers’ Allowance, or• Income related Employment and Support

Allowance, or• Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with

an annual family income of £16,190 or less.

And ALL pregnant under 18 year olds

6

The Voucher

• Worth £3.10 each• Issued 4 weekly to

beneficiaries• Double vouchers for

under 1’s • Voucher value

reviewed annually

Health professionals can make a huge difference!

The way the parents find out about the scheme effects their relationship with the scheme

Role of HCP

Healthy Start is a Statutory Scheme

Health Professionals are given the key tasks of:

• Signposting to the scheme• Supporting applications• Signing application forms• PCTs have a duty to make

HS vitamin supplements available

Potential beneficiary hears about Healthy Start

Tax credits helpline

Jobcentre Plus

Internet

Invitation from HSIU

Midwife/Health Visitor

Application form in GP surgery

Pregnancy or Birth to Five Book

Poster in children’s centre

Get application leaflet/FormWebsite

HSIU Helpline

GP Surgery

Health VisitorComplete Form

Get signature from midwife or health visitor

Submit to HSIU

Family becomes eligible

Healthy Start application process

HSIU receives application form

Fully completedWrongly completed

Returned to applicant

Clearly do not qualify

Applicant informed

Application for pregnant

Vouchers Issued

Validation checks later

Application includes children

Validate against HMRC and JCP data

Match found

Repeat validation checks every 2 wks

(HMRC) or 4 wks (JCP)

Vouchers Issued

Match not found

Inform applicant and invite to give additional information. Repeat 2/4

weekly checks for 3 months

Match found

Voucher Issued

No match found

Vouchers not issued

Letter confirming match not found

Why give Vitamins?

• Enough evidence to convince COMA and SACN to recommend supplementation

• NICE report on Maternal and child nutrition (March 2008) places the onus on PCTs to ensure supplementation happens

Source:

COMA – Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

SACN – Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

NICE – National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Children’s Drops

Code: ABX 072

Cost to PCT: £1.61

Cost when selling:

£1.77

Available to: Children; 6 months – 3 years

Contains: 233mcg Vitamin A20mg Vitamin C7.5mcg Vitamin D

One bottle: 10 mls (8 week supply)

Daily Dose: 5 drops

Classification: General Sales List Medicine

Manufacturer: SSL International

Women’s Tablets

Code: ABX 073

Cost to PCT: 82p

Cost when selling:

90p

Available to: Women; pregnant and until child is 1 yr old

Contains: 70 mg Vitamin C10 mcg Vitamin D400 mcg Folic Acid

One bottle: 56 tablets (8 week supply)

Daily Dose: 1 tablet

Classification: Multivitamin Food Supplement

Manufacturer: Bayer

Vitamin Facts

Local Uptake

• Vitamin uptake is measured by the number of vitamins reclaimed from DH

• Levels are low – but improving!

Vitamin Collection Points

• Local Vitamin Collection Points

• Collection of vitamin coupons

Any questions?