Coeliac disease is still under diagnosed Jan 2012

Gastrointestinal disorders, such as coeliac disease, are reported to account for around ten percent of NHS clinical work.  However, despite being one of the most common long term chronic conditions, the prevalence of coeliac disease is still not formally recorded by the NHS.  Consequently, it’s not surprising that coeliac disease is not always well managed in general practice.

In 2009, the NICE clinical guidance on the Recognition and assessment of coeliac disease*1. stated that there were over 100,000 people in the UK diagnosed with coeliac disease.  Despite the rate of diagnosis increasing, Member of Parliament and Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on coeliac disease, Gordon Banks, recently highlighted in a Parliamentary debate*2 how an estimated half a million people remain undiagnosed.

Mr Banks has reinforced Coeliac UK’s call for coeliac disease to be recognised in the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) which sets quality criteria and targets for GPs to diagnose certain conditions.  The reality is that coeliac disease can now be more easily screened for in primary care. The NICE guideline recommends that GPs should arrange for a special blood test as the first-choice test, particularly for any patient previously diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. 

Once diagnosed coeliac patients can be treated by a life-long gluten-free diet and managed through regular follow-up in primary care to ensure that they reduce the risk of developing further complications such as osteoporosis and cancer.  As Gordon Banks further commented: “early diagnosis saves not only lives but also money.”

The full NICE Guidelines can be accessed here.

A full transcript of the Westminster Hall debate on coeliac disease 7 September 2011 can be accessed here

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 7 September 2011, c101WH)