How to Find the Best Gluten Free Products on Prescription
Gluten-free prescriptions are available to any person in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who has a formal diagnosis of coeliac disease. This provides them with access to gluten free products, such as bread, gluten free flour, pizza bases, and other products. It is slightly different in England, where there is a limit on certain products, meaning that in some areas you might have access to only gluten-free bread or flour mixes, and in some areas you might not have access to any gluten free products at all.
Choosing gluten free products on prescription
The first step is to get a diagnosis. If you have been suffering with coeliac symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, unexplained weight loss, nausea, extreme fatigue, joint pain, or many more, it is important that you seek medical assistance. The diagnosis process for coeliac disease involves a blood test, maintaining your existing diet until the process is complete. Once you have a diagnosis and have spoken to your GP or dietitian about your eligibility for a prescription the next step is to choose a gluten-free prescription.
What do you get with a monthly gluten-free prescription?
In England, gluten-free prescriptions are restricted to bread and flour mixes, although in some areas gluten-free prescriptions are not available at all. The cost is the standard NHS prescription charge unless you have an exemption. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there is access to a wider range of staple gluten-free food such as bread, flour, pasta bases, cereals, pasta, crackers, and more. Gluten-free prescriptions are free of charge. You are allotted a certain number of units per month, depending on your age, gender, and where you live.
Example units:
- A pack of gluten-free bread rolls is ½ unit
- A loaf of gluten-free bread is 1 unit
- A box of multipurpose flour mix is 2 units
In England, for example, children under the age of 10 and women over 18 get 8 units, but men over 18 years of age and children between the ages of 11 and 18 receive 12 units. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the allocation is greater due to a wider range of available products.
You can receive gluten free products on prescription through your GP or dietitian. To do this you need to:
Get a diagnosis –
The first step is to have a medical assessment by your GP to get a diagnosis of coeliac disease.
Speak to a GP or dietitian –
Once you have the diagnosis, the next step is to speak to your GP or dietitian to set-up a gluten-free prescription in your name. They will help you to fill. Out the food request form linked to specific product names that you are eligible for.
Check your eligibility –
Depending on which area of the country that you live in, there are some gluten free products that might not be available on prescription. You’ll also have a monthly unit system to work with, based on your age and gender. There are limits to bread and flour in England, with a wider range of products, including pasta and cereals allowed in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Order your prescription –
Once everything has been set-up you can submit a repeat subscription through your local pharmacy, where the products will be delivered in the same way medicines are delivered to pharmacies for you to pick up. In Wales there are also prepaid subsidy cards for gluten-free products, to help manage the cost of gluten-free food.
Choosing a gluten-free prescription
Depending on your local health policy, you can access gluten free products on prescription after consultation with your GP or dietitian. Once you have received your diagnosis of coeliac disease, depending on which part of the country that you live in, there are different types of gluten-free products that you are eligible for. Once you have the service set up you can then order the products through your pharmacy. You can also order a taster box of gluten-free products in some cases, allowing you to sample what type of products that you can add to your prescription in the future.
