28 November 2018

Articles published today focus on the NHS reducing items on prescription deemed to be either ineffective or readily available elsewhere, and also guidance issued on the prescription of non staple items of gluten free food.

Guidance supported by the charity has long promoted only the prescribing of staple items of gluten free foods, and Department of Health and Social Care has already held a consultation on the future of gluten free prescribing which supported staple items being available for those who need them.

Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK said: “This is an old story being resurrected and we are surprised by this misleading headline in the NHS England’s press release especially in light of the Department of Health and Social Care’s own consultation on the future on gluten free prescribing in 2017. The result of the consultation is that prescribing of gluten free bread and flour mixes should continue on prescription due to their high cost and issues around their availability – of great concern especially to the most vulnerable. Since as long ago as 2011, guidance backed by Coeliac UK has been focused on prescribing of staple foods. We hope that the new gluten free prescribing regulations laid down in Parliament earlier this month will encourage alignment of local clinical commissioning group policies with the national guidelines and reduce the current variation in access to gluten free food on prescription. Highlighting the curtailment of prescribing gluten free cakes and biscuits is a total red herring and sensationalism.”