Coeliac Disease and Prescriptions Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Jim Shannon

Main Page: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

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Global Biodiversity

Coeliac Disease and Prescriptions

Jim Shannon Excerpts

National College for Wind Energy
Tuesday 1st November 2016

(7 years, 6 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Kevan Jones Portrait Mr Jones
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The hon. Lady raises an interesting point, but I assure her that the products available today are completely different from when I was first diagnosed. The bread then was like cardboard, and today it is very much different.

There is a general duty for GPs to prescribe treatments for health conditions via the FP10 prescribing system where treatment is available, and in the case of coeliac disease that is a gluten-free diet. There is also a duty in legislation for CCGs to reduce inequalities with respect to patient access to services and outcomes, but because of the lack of explicit recommendations on prescribing from NICE, CCGs are being given a fairly free hand to make decisions that run contrary to reducing health inequalities.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate. Prescription of gluten-free food as medication clearly needs to be regulated by the NHS across the United Kingdom. One of my constituents said to me this week:

“The disease is antisocial and can lead to isolation.”

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the supply of food on prescription can have social benefits, as well as mental, physical and emotional benefits?

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