NHS Forth Valley
NHS Forth Valley

Healthy Start Vitamins

Services / Locally Negotiated Services / Healthy Start Vitamins
This information is for pharmacies and health professionals in Forth Valley. For patient information please visit NHS Forth Valley.

Healthy Start Vitamins

NHS Scotland advise that pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under four years old should receive supplemental vitamin D. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D so babies fed more than 500ml of formula each day do not require vitamin drops. Breastfed babies and those receiving less than 500ml of formula should be given 10micrograms of vitamin D. This is available in the Healthy Start Vitamin drops. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should take a dose of 10micrograms which is contained in the Healthy Start vitamin tablets.

A patient information leaflet is available at ‘Vitamin D and you’

The vitamins will still be supplied free of charge to the following patient groups:

Patient group Available from
Pregnant women Midwife via antenatal appointments
Breast fed children under 12 months Midwife or health visitor
Children between 12 months and 3 years Health Board reception areas at –

Boness Health Centre

Meadowbank Health Centre

Grangemouth Health Centre

Denny Health Centre

Bonnybridge Health Centre

Stenhousemuir Health Centre

Camelon Clinic

Orchard House Health Centre

Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre

 

Pharmacies are requested to direct patients to their local distribution points to obtain supplies. If a patient wishes to purchase the Healthy Start vitamins, pharmacies are still able to obtain supplies from their usual wholesalers.

Best Start Scheme

The Healthy Start Scheme was a programme which gave parents vouchers to help with the cost of milk, infant formula and certain foods along with access to vitamin drops for children and tablets for women. In August 2019 this scheme was replaced by the Best Start Scheme which covers the vouchers for milk and formula etc. More details about the scheme can be found at https://www.mygov.scot/benefits/best-start/.

 

Healthy Start vitamins are no longer covered by this scheme and vouchers are no longer being issued. The pharmacy distribution scheme has now ceased and participating pharmacies will no longer receive the scheme’s payment.

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