Free, Gluten Free Prescriptions
In Ireland and the United Kingdom it’s reckoned that 1 person in 100 is Coeliac and on a Gluten Free diet but approximately three quarters (75%) are not medically diagnosed!
That means all those people living in Northern or Southern Ireland are not benefiting from obtaining some of their staple GF foodstuffs on FREE prescription in Northern Ireland or a tax refund from the Irish Revenue in the Irish Republic.
We all know Coeliacs pay a premium for their GF food so, in these days of high living costs, it would make sense to do whatever it takes to cut your expenditure on food.
Now, we know you can’t be diagnosed for Coeliac Disease if you are on a GF diet voluntarily and the idea of consuming Gluten again is maybe a step too far for some!
But, the trade off is short term pain for long term gain and, for some of you, it may be worth thinking about!
Over in GB a number of Clinical Commissioning Groups have stopped providing GF food on prescription as a “cost cutting” measure!
To try and prevent that happening in Northern Ireland we have met the Health & Social Care Board and successfully advocated on your behalf for the retention of GF staples on free prescription so please take advantage of the situation!
We know there have been calls to discontinue the practice so we need to use it or we could lose it!
