End of celiac bread prescription ‘a blow in the teeth’
BBCA man with celiac disease from Leicestershire has said the decision to stop prescribing gluten-free food is “another kick in the teeth” for people with the condition.
Michael Glover, from Loughborough, was diagnosed with the auto immune disorder in 1967 at the age of five and believes support for sufferers has diminished over the years.
His recipe for gluten-free bread is one of around 1,300 which will be closed down by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) from February 1.
This would save the NHS locally more than £250,000 a year, the ICB said, but Mr Glover said he believed more people would fall ill as a result of the change.
He said: “You eat a little bit of gluten and you can get stomach aches, really bad bloating, diarrhoea, headaches, it can shake your legs.
“It’s a disgusting decision. It’s preventative, it’s a medicine – they’re supplying something for you that you need.
“If you’re taking it away, people on low incomes won’t be able to cope. The price of bread in the supermarket is not affordable for a celiac.
“It’s another kick in the teeth.”
‘Significant financial pressure’
The ICB said the decision was taken after “lengthy” consultation with the public, patient groups and medical practitioners, with the views of 1,468 people sought.
But it acknowledged that the majority of people consulted disagreed with its decision to stop providing up to eight units of gluten-free bread or flour on prescription.
The ICB said the change will bring the region in line with other parts of the NHS in the East Midlands and will provide additional support for people with the condition, including advice and guidance on diet, lifestyle and healthy living.
Chief medical officer Dr Neil Sangani said the ICB “fully appreciates the impact” of this “very difficult decision” taken at a time of significant financial pressure on the NHS.
Dr. Sangani said: “For celiac disease, there is now a wider range of specific gluten-free products available than ever before, including naturally gluten-free foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, Contains wide variety of cheese and eggs.
“It is possible to eat a gluten-free diet without the need for any specialist dietary foods.”
The charity Celiac UK has called for the decision to be overturned.
Dr Mohammed Shiha, gastroenterology registrar at Leicester University Hospitals, said ending the prescriptions was “short-sighted and backwards”.
He said: “By not helping patients maintain their gluten-free diet today, we risk paying far higher prices for the treatment of related conditions in the future.
“This is bad news for the NHS and devastating for the individual.”
Tristan Humphreys, head of advocacy for Celiac UK, said that gluten-free loaves would cost “on average six times more” for those living with celiac disease “at a time when the cost of living is cripplingly high”.
The affected people will be contacted by January, ICB said.
