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The BSNA gluten-free working group has produced a new document entitled ‘A guide to the role of the gluten-free prescription in the management of coeliac disease’. The guide was compiled to inform key stakeholders and healthcare professionals, involved in the provision of care for patients with coeliac disease, of the importance of a gluten-free prescription in the successful management of this lifelong disease.

Coeliac disease is unique amongst gastrointestinal disorders in that it can be effectively treated by diet alone and does not require long-term drug intervention. The role of the gluten-free prescription is not to meet all daily dietary requirements of people with coeliac disease, but to provide the patient with a guaranteed reasonable supply of essential staple gluten-free foods, such as bread and flour, from which they can successfully manage their own condition. Coeliac UK, the national patient charity for people with coeliac disease, has stated that gluten-free prescribing, focusing on staple foods, should be viewed as an essential NHS service available to all patients with diagnosed coeliac disease. The BSNA supports this view in recognising the provision of essential foods on prescription as part of a foundation of support provided by the NHS.

In light of recent Primary Care Trust (PCT) restrictions of gluten-free foods on prescription, the BSNA is using this guide to communicate the significant role gluten-free prescription products play in the daily diet of those individuals medically diagnosed with coeliac disease. Choice is not an option and deviation from the diet will have a direct effect on health and morbidity. Additional costs from long-term health complications associated with poorly managed or untreated coeliac disease, including infertility, osteoporosis and gut cancer, could be incurred at PCT level in the long run. These costs would far outweigh the cost savings achieved through restriction of gluten-free foods available on prescription, which may adversely affect patient adherence to their medically-advised treatment: a gluten-free diet.

Click here to read ‘A guide to the role of the gluten-free prescription in the management of coeliac disease’

To request a copy of ‘A guide to the role of the gluten-free prescription in the management of coeliac disease’ please email:info@bsna.co.uk