Healthy Start Scheme in Islington Claire Bennett Assistant Public Health Strategist NHS Islington

Case Study Context of Healthy Start in Islington History of Healthy Start in Islington Mapping exercise Ordering Monitoring Finance Publicity Next steps

Context of Islington 4 th most deprived Borough in England 65% of Islington population live in 20% most deprived areas nationally High levels of obesity High rates of teenage pregnancy Early years priority within borough

Healthy Start and Islington Strategies Islington Health Inequalities Strategy (2010) Joint Strategic Needs Assessment – 2010 & 2011 Islington Food Strategy Islington Healthy Children’s Centre Programme

Take up

History of HS scheme in Islington Scheme started November 2006 Review carried out July 2008 –Identified where vitamins were stocked (8 health centres) –Only 1 stocked Vitamin Tablets –Only 1 health centre ordered via NHS supply chain –Rest ordering via pharmacy department –Lack of awareness of the scheme Project group established in response to the review

Project Group Aims: To review & improve current distribution To develop promotional plan to raise the profile of scheme Group Membership Health visiting, dietetics, infant feeding co-ordinator, midwifery, early years. Co-ordinated by public health

What we needed to find out? How do the women get the drops? Ordering system? What were the number of claimants? Why are vitamin tablets not available? Who is responsible?

Mapping Exercise Women receive form from Midwife/ HV/ GP Women claim vitamin drops from health centre Health centre completes “beneficiary form” Women complete form and send to DH Health centre sends form to NHS Camden Camden sends from to DH for both Islington and Camden

Ordering All health centres were given the correct ordering code Were able to order both tablets and drops Ordering increased Health centre managers now order and manage own stock

Pathway Midwifery Ensure all eligible women are signed up to healthy start and all women are aware of the benefits of supplementary vitamins. Health Visiting Health Visitors ensure eligible families are signed up to Healthy Start and discuss vitamins supplements with families at the new birth visit Named HCA/FHA orders vitamins from NHS Supply Chain via Supplies Department Children’s Vitamin drops: ABX 072 Women’s vitamin tablets: ABX 073 Complete beneficiary form and send to Public health on monthly basis

Pathway Health Centre Reception Staff Display point of sale kits and promote health start within health centres Dispense vitamins to beneficiaries and purchasers Complete beneficiary form Send to public health on monthly basis Named administrator orders vitamins from NHS Supply Chain via Supplies Department Children’s Vitamin drops: ABX 072 Women’s vitamin tablets: ABX 073

Pathway All frontline staff promote healthy start to those families that are eligible and inform parents how to apply for healthy start vouchers and where to obtain them. Provide flyer with list of locations where vitamins can be obtained to all parents Notify parents that healthy start vitamins can be purchased Health Centre Reception Staff Midwifery Health Visiting Children’s Centre staff GP’s

Monitoring Monthly claims Monitoring form in place Allows monitoring of uptake Postcode data for all vitamin claimants Automatic reminders go to all health centres, continuous communication DATENAMEPostcodeITEM ISSUEDNo. ISSUEDSIGNATURE of beneficiary

Finance Not sending invoices to DH Health centres not being reimbursed Provider vs. commissioning split Finance broken down for each centre so reimbursed

Claims

Take up

Future Direction Publicity to increase take up A5 flyer printed for every red book Life channel Increased communication regarding scheme Children’s centres involved Mapping of claimants using postcode data

Contact Details Claire Bennett Assistant Public Health Strategist – children & young people NHS Islington

Healthy Start Scheme in Islington Claire Bennett Assistant Public Health Strategist NHS Islington