Austerity tightens - no more chocolate biscuits on the NHS!

The NHS has allowed the prescription of gluten free foods to people with coeliac disease for some time. People with coeliac disease need to have a gluten free diet otherwise they will become ill. Gluten is present in flour but there are gluten free substitutes available.

The NHS advices that staple gluten-free foods should be available to all people diagnosed with coeliac disease. This includes bread/rolls, crackers and crispbreads, flour/flour type mixes, pasta and pizza bases. But in line with healthy eating and advice from Coeliac UK (click here for a link), Wakefield CCG has advised all Wakefield practices to no longer prescribe cakes/cakes mixes, biscuits and sweet products. People who wish to include these products in their diet are being advised to buy them from the supermarket instead.

It is accepted that commercial gluten free products are more expensive that equivalent standard gluten containing products but even Coeliac UK accepts that there is no justification for the NHS to prescribe then in the current financial climate. Coeliac UK says they 'cannot make a special case of support for prescribing biscuits and cake mixes. They are not staple foods and their use is not consistent with healthy eating recommendations.'

So, no more chocolate biscuits on the NHS!


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