Now NHS will dole out free vitamins to all mothers-to-be
Latest SNP handout sparks anger
ALL pregnant women in Scotland will be given free vitamins in the latest controversial SNP handout for new parents.
They will receive multivitamins and folic acid to take throughout their pregnancy. The Scottish Government said the move would improve women and children’s health.
But last night critics hit out at the policy, saying cash-strapped taxpayers would be subsidising those who could easily afford the vitamins themselves.
Free vitamins are already available to pregnant women on benefits. The tablets contain folic acid, which reduces the risk of the birth defect spina bifida, as well as vitamins C and D to help the baby grow.
But the Nationalists have extended the move to all pregnant women, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, to give every baby a ‘fair and equal chance’.
The move, to be launched tomorrow, follows the SNP’s controversial £27million ‘baby box’ scheme.
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell unveiled the scheme at Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital yesterday.
She said: ‘There is strong evidence taking vitamins during pregnancy improves both the mother and baby’s health.
‘By offering them to all pregnant women, we can contribute towards giving every baby a fair and equal chance – a move widely supported by healthcare professionals.’
The SNP’s commitment to giving every new mother a ‘baby box’ filled with items including blankets and mittens was one of the flagship policies in the party’s Holyrood election manifesto.
But it has been branded a ‘gimmick’ by Nicola Sturgeon’s poverty adviser, Naomi Eisenstadt, who said that the scheme would do little to address inequality.
Now the latest initiative to hand out free vitamins has sparked anger as cash-strapped NHS boards struggle to make cost
‘Will resources be diverted?’
savings, and drugs for life-threatening conditions are rationed because of their cost.
A spokesman for the Taxpayers’ Alliance said yesterday: ‘What is the justification for spending taxpayers’ money on providing vitamins to wealthier families who can easily afford these pills themselves?
‘Families struggling with tax bills will want to know how exactly the authorities plan to fund the scheme.
‘Are taxes going to go up or will precious resources be diverted from other parts of the health budget, affecting essential services such as cancer drugs and specialist nurses?’
But Mary Ross Davie, the Royal College of Midwives director for Scotland, said: ‘The RCM welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to investing in all pregnant women. The long-term health benefits of vitamin supplementation throughout pregnancy are widely known to last a lifetime and clinical evidence suggests taking vitamins during pregnancy improves health outcomes for both mother and baby.
‘Midwives come into contact with women from the earliest stages of their pregnancy and are involved with and throughout antenatal care and birth.
‘This makes them the key healthcare professionals to talk to women about vitamin supplementation, healthy eating and exercise.’