Why a gluten free prescription?
Once you have a medical diagnosis of coeliac disease, you are entitled to a range of gluten free foods on prescription including bread, rolls and flour mixes. The amount of products you are entitled to is based on units and will vary accordingly to your age and gender. It will also depend upon your local clinical commisioning group (CCG) and any restrictions they may have in place. You can discuss this further with your GP or pharmacist.
Setting up your gluten free prescription varies across the United Kingdom:
- In England, NHS prescriptions are charged and your monthly prescription is set up by your GP. However, some are exempt from prescription charges including children, over 60’s and those receiving income support.
- If you live in Wales, your gluten free prescriptions are free and it is normally your GP who will set up your prescription.
- If you live in Scotland, you will access your gluten free prescription from the pharmacist through the Scottish Gluten Free Food Service. You can change your prescription each month depending on your preferences and requirements. Just speak to your pharmacist.
Your local pharmacist is responsible for setting up and dispensing your gluten free prescription.
Please note that, at present, we are unable to supply to Northern Ireland. We are currently exploring options and hope to reinstate our service in the future.
More about the pre-payment certificate in England
When ordering gluten free foods, you are charged a prescription cost for every type of food you order. The current prescription charge is £9 per item (Jan 17). If you normally pay for prescriptions, you can get a PPC which allows you to pay a one off 3 or 12 month fee for your NHS prescriptions, so if you order multiple products it’s worth having a look at..
There are two PPC options to choose from, a three month PPC costs £29.10 and a 12 month PPC costs £104.00. Both could save you money if you order more than one gluten free food each month.
A 12 month certificate could save you £295 a year if you have four different gluten free products per month (as of Jan 2017). If you're elligible for a PPC, you can buy them online, check here for more details.
At Warburtons we believe that everyone should be able to enjoy beautifully baked bread. The Warburtons Gluten Free range is available to order in pharmacies and is key for those medically diagnosed with coeliac disease. This range includes fresh white and brown loaves and rolls (all of which are fortified to be high in calcium and provide a source of iron. Find the full range on our Warburtons Gluten Free product page.