Healthy Start Consultation

Healthwatch Bexley collected the views of a small sample of parents, health professionals and early year’s professionals living and working in the London Borough of Bexley (LBB). The 8-week consultation period took place from 15th July until 9th September 2019. They listened to over 250 people’s comments on the Healthy Start voucher scheme by visiting 19 groups and locations throughout the London Borough of Bexley which included parent and child groups, baby clinics, children’s centres, hospitals, and events such as community fun days.

The key issues in the report include lack of knowledge for parents around the Healthy Start voucher scheme; the scheme not being consistently publicised and advertised at key venues such as baby clinics, nurseries, children’s centres and food banks; some health and early year’s professionals not fully aware of the qualifying criteria to be eligible for the scheme or actively promoting the scheme; application forms not being signed in a timely basis by health professionals; and the turnaround time of application forms once signed being slow, with some people not getting a response after applying. The report made five recommendations.