Services Database Healthy Start Vitamins (City & Hackney)

Service Aims and Outcomes

• The service ‘Healthy Start in City & Hackney’ aims to reach all universal families residing in
  the London Borough of Hackney and City of London Corporation or registered with a GP in
  City & Hackney, to dispense Healthy Start vitamin drops to children aged from birth to their
  fourth birthday and Healthy Start vitamin tablets to women who are pregnant or have a
  child aged under one year.
• To reduce the high levels of vitamin D deficiency in this population in City & Hackney.
• To increase the take-up of folic acid during pregnancy to reduce the chances of spinal cord
  defects in babies
• The service will increase the number of women and children residing in the London
  Boroughs of City and Hackney, or registered with a GP in City & Hackney, who take
  Healthy Start vitamins.
• More women will be taking Folic acid and vitamins C & D thus reducing the chances of
  babies having spina bifida, of maintaining healthy body tissue and of helping the absorption of calcium to support babies’ bone development.
• More babies and young children will be taking vitamins A, C & D, to support growth, vision
  and healthy skin, maintain healthy body tissue and support the development of strong bones and teeth.

The service will be provided free to pregnant women, new mums and children under 4
years who meet the criteria stated in 2.1.1 of this specification.

Not known