*Viviennemary
I wouldn't put this at the top of a cash strapped NHS.*
Again it costs the nhs £3000 in 2018 for a woman to give birth in hospital, the likelyhood is that figure has gone up. The map is available at boots for £10, it likely costs the nhs less but assuming it costs them £10
If 100 women take the map for free it costs the nhs £100
If 100 women cant afford the map and have a baby it costs the nhs £300,000 and thats just for the birth never mind the health visitor visits, pre natal scans, weigh ins and check ups, lifelong health care etc.
In 2015 a persons cost to the nhs averaged at £500 per year. If those 100 babies lived to 75 then they would go on to cost the nhs a further £3,750,000 and thats if they all lead healthy lives. The top 5% of patients cost the nhs about £9700 per year, adding an additional £48,500 a year onto the previous total.
Thats without schooling costs, potential extra benefits being paid, £39,240 -£26010 in child benefit alone (depending on whether they will have siblings and whether child benefit goes up)
In 2018 it cost £5000 per pupil in england for their education, assuming they all stay in education until they are 18 thats £9,000,000
So for the childbirth, ongoing medical care, child benefit and education alone a child is going to cost £102,254 in their lifetime.(assuming zero rises in anything)
Suddenly that £10 looks awfully cheap and a real saving just to the nhs never mind anything else