Gluten Free Foods to no longer be prescribed

In November Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB took the decision to adopt the Isle of Wight position to not support the prescribing of gluten free (GF) foods.  The ICB’s Medicines Optimisation team will be working with practices to review patients currently prescribed GF foods, and take necessary action over the coming months.  

The ICB have produced an information sheet/ FAQs for patients to help explain. You can print here if you get any queries.

• Patient Information Sheet

Comment from the ICB

The ICB have carried out a thorough review including a detailed quality impact assessment to understand the impact on patients of changing our guidance to GPs so that GF foods are no longer available on prescription. This is already the position on the Isle of Wight.

The review panel, made up of experts and clinical leaders in primary care, recommended that we stop prescribing across the whole of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This decision was approved by the ICB Executive Group.

The decision was not taken lightly. We considered a range of both clinical and social factors, including the wide availability of GF products in supermarkets and the need to ensure we deliver best value for money in what is a challenging time financially for the NHS, both locally and nationally.

We understand there may be a very small group of patients who prescribers think should continue to receive their GF foods on prescription. We will therefore work with you as prescribers to submit IFR applications for the continuation of prescribing for these patients.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: hiowicb-hsi.sw.medicines-information-enquiries@nhs.net