Supporting mums and children through the Extended Healthy Start Scheme

In 2017, the Sheffield CCG has doubled the uptake of free Healthy Start Vitamins, helping improve the health of children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.

The national Healthy Start scheme provides vouchers for people on lower incomes to help them eat a healthy diet, as well as free vitamins for pregnant and breastfeeding women and growing children. In Sheffield we have extended this to all preconception and pregnant women and certain eligible groups of babies and children up to the age of 4.

These contain vitamins A, C and D for children aged six months to 4 years and folic acid and vitamins C and D for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Our aim in Sheffield is to have a 'Rickets free Sheffield' and we are working towards achieving this thanks to the collective approach with health visitors, midwives, Public Health, GPs and many more of our partners.

Figures show that since the launch of the scheme in September 2016, the amount of children accessing free vitamins has increased by 50% year on year and more than four times the amount of children are now accessing Healthy Start Vitamins.

For more information on the Healthy Start Scheme, please visit the website.

Have a very happy Christmas!