General Notes
- All prescribing of vitamins and minerals should be in line with an ACBS approved indication i.e. only in the management of actual or potential vitamin or mineral deficiency; they are not to be prescribed as dietary supplements or as a general ‘pick-me-up’.
- Deprescribe vitamin products where there is no clinically appropriate indication for their continued use, GP Practice staff can refer to ‘Vitamin and Mineral Prescribing Guidance NI’
- If patients still want to take vitamins and minerals for dietary supplementation or as a ‘pick-me-up’ they should be advised that they can be purchased as self-care over-the-counter with the support of the community pharmacist
- Some patients e.g. low income may be eligible for NHS Healthy Start vitamins:
- Healthy Start women’s vitamin tablets contain Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin D
Further details on who is eligible and how to get Healthy Start vitamins can be accessed here