Prescriptions for gluten-free food put under threat
The NHS in west Kent is considering stopping prescriptions for gluten-free products for those with coeliac disease and other intolerances.
The area’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has launched a public consultation to save money by not supplying the items. Gluten is found in wheat and other grains. Those with coeliac disease see their body’s immune system attack itself if they eat gluten, causing pain and damage to the lining of the gut. This affects one in every 100 people in the UK.
Others suffer from allergies which can produce other reactions. The NHS has prescribed products for the last 30 years to patients who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease.
This costs the CCG, covering Maidstone, Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, more than £130,000 a year. When it began, products, such as wheat-free flour, bread, pasta and cereal, were not as easily available as they are today.
Patients can receive up to 18 specialist items a month, depending on age. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are allowed more.
Dr Bob Bowes, CCG chairman, said: “We are funded through taxation and have a fixed budget to provide health services for the whole population. With pressures on our limited budget, part of our role is to assess what mix of services provides the best value for our patients.”
The NHS does not provide food on prescription for other groups of patients whose conditions are affected by the type of food they eat and there is an argument that the money could be better spent elsewhere. But the charity Coeliac UK strongly opposed the move, saying it wasn’t always easy to find specialist food as it’s not stocked by budget chains.
Sarah Sleet, the charity’s chief executive said: “This proposal is based on budget rather than patient need or clinical evidence.”
Roadshows will take place and a document can be found in community centres, GP practices and hospital waiting rooms.
The consultation closes on January 29. See http://tinyurl.com/ WKgluten for more.