1. Healthy Start and Early Years NAME Healthy Start Lead PCT Name

2. 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

3. Healthy Start Introducing Solid Food Start4Life Active play Baby Life check Breastfeeding Inter related infant health initiatives

4. 4 What does it provide? Vouchers:Vitamins: Liquid milkFor women Fresh fruit and vegFor children Infant formula milk AND: Information on breastfeeding and healthy eating

5. 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. 6 The Voucher Worth £3.10 each Issued 4 weekly to beneficiaries Double vouchers for under 1’s Voucher value reviewed annually

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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/Form Website HSIU Helpline GP Surgery Health Visitor Complete Form Get signature from midwife or health visitor Submit to HSIU Family becomes eligible Healthy Start application process

10. HSIU receives application form Fully completed Wrongly 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

11. 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

12. 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 A 20mg Vitamin C 7.5mcg 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 C 10 mcg Vitamin D 400 mcg Folic Acid One bottle:56 tablets (8 week supply) Daily Dose:1 tablet Classification:Multivitamin Food Supplement Manufacturer:Bayer Vitamin Facts

13. Local Uptake Vitamin uptake is measured by the number of vitamins reclaimed from DH Levels are low – but improving!

14. Vitamin Collection Points Local Vitamin Collection Points Collection of vitamin coupons

15. Any questions?