Post by Silly Yak on Feb 19, 2011 9:37:08 GMT
The two MP's I've written to re: the prescription changes have said they will look in to this and be in touch.
Below is the reply I received back from the EKPCT and my response. Sorry if I ramble on but ........
From: EKPCT Pals [mailto:EKPCT.PALS@eastcoastkent.nhs.uk]
Sent: 16 February 2011 10:05
To: Lynne Milton
Subject: RE: Gluten Free Prescription Changes. [Scanned] [Spam score:8%]
Dear Ms Milton.
Thank you for your email. These new changes have been rolled out across the south east of England and all Primary Care Trusts in the region have agreed this policy. I have copied your email to our Medicines Management department for a more detailed response. I do appreciate that this comes at a difficult time financially for us all.
Since we have now had a few calls and contacts from coeliacs and their families on this subject I made a point of checking my local supermarket (Tescos in Cheriton) to see what gluten free products were available. I did find a very good range and I looked particularly at a 500g packed of pasta spirals. The gluten free ones cost £1.55 – Tescos own wheat flour ones are on offer at the moment and cost 98p and Napolini cost £1.15. So I will agree with you that they are more expensive, but not hugely so. Diabetics do not get any foodstuffs on prescription and neither do nut-allergy patients, and both categories certainly have to make considerable adjustments to their diet to deal with their chronic illness; this may have a bearing on the recent changes to the provision of gluten free products.
I will get back to you with a more thorough response when I have had guidance from Medicines Management.
Best wishes,
Liz Coleman
Dear Liz
Many thanks for your reply. I appreciate that you are going to get back to me but I would just like to say before you consult Medicines Management, please raise the question as to why it is not possible to have the GF fresh bread.
I have been to Tesco today and found that the GF fresh bread option costs £2.89 for a 600g loaf where as a typical Hovis 800g loaf is £1.15 and Tesco Wholemeal 800g loaf 69p!
Tesco own brand GF Fusilli 500g pack £1.55 and Tesco own brand wheat flour 1kg pack £1.35 (normal price) so GF more than 100% more expensive.
I fully agree that the quantity of GF items should be monitered and giving things a unit value is a very good idea. However I am never going to need anything like 14 loaves of bread a month. If the allowance is 14 units cannot people choose which 14 GF items they require rather than be restricted to longlife bread and flour?
If this decision is upheld many people on low incomes are going to suffer. Your reference to diabetics and nut-allergy patients is appreciated but are we not supposed to make progress in the NHS not go backwards. Do we really want to see patients with coeliacs under nourished and suffering the long term effects of dietary deficiencies, such as osteoporosis, pancreatic disease and certain types of cancer?
Also a question raised on a GF forum was - What happens to all the people involved in the manufacture of GF foods if the demand drops, will they be redundant and claiming benefits??
It will be much appreciated if you could forward the points I have raised and I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards
Lynne
Below is the reply I received back from the EKPCT and my response. Sorry if I ramble on but ........
From: EKPCT Pals [mailto:EKPCT.PALS@eastcoastkent.nhs.uk]
Sent: 16 February 2011 10:05
To: Lynne Milton
Subject: RE: Gluten Free Prescription Changes. [Scanned] [Spam score:8%]
Dear Ms Milton.
Thank you for your email. These new changes have been rolled out across the south east of England and all Primary Care Trusts in the region have agreed this policy. I have copied your email to our Medicines Management department for a more detailed response. I do appreciate that this comes at a difficult time financially for us all.
Since we have now had a few calls and contacts from coeliacs and their families on this subject I made a point of checking my local supermarket (Tescos in Cheriton) to see what gluten free products were available. I did find a very good range and I looked particularly at a 500g packed of pasta spirals. The gluten free ones cost £1.55 – Tescos own wheat flour ones are on offer at the moment and cost 98p and Napolini cost £1.15. So I will agree with you that they are more expensive, but not hugely so. Diabetics do not get any foodstuffs on prescription and neither do nut-allergy patients, and both categories certainly have to make considerable adjustments to their diet to deal with their chronic illness; this may have a bearing on the recent changes to the provision of gluten free products.
I will get back to you with a more thorough response when I have had guidance from Medicines Management.
Best wishes,
Liz Coleman
Dear Liz
Many thanks for your reply. I appreciate that you are going to get back to me but I would just like to say before you consult Medicines Management, please raise the question as to why it is not possible to have the GF fresh bread.
I have been to Tesco today and found that the GF fresh bread option costs £2.89 for a 600g loaf where as a typical Hovis 800g loaf is £1.15 and Tesco Wholemeal 800g loaf 69p!
Tesco own brand GF Fusilli 500g pack £1.55 and Tesco own brand wheat flour 1kg pack £1.35 (normal price) so GF more than 100% more expensive.
I fully agree that the quantity of GF items should be monitered and giving things a unit value is a very good idea. However I am never going to need anything like 14 loaves of bread a month. If the allowance is 14 units cannot people choose which 14 GF items they require rather than be restricted to longlife bread and flour?
If this decision is upheld many people on low incomes are going to suffer. Your reference to diabetics and nut-allergy patients is appreciated but are we not supposed to make progress in the NHS not go backwards. Do we really want to see patients with coeliacs under nourished and suffering the long term effects of dietary deficiencies, such as osteoporosis, pancreatic disease and certain types of cancer?
Also a question raised on a GF forum was - What happens to all the people involved in the manufacture of GF foods if the demand drops, will they be redundant and claiming benefits??
It will be much appreciated if you could forward the points I have raised and I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards
Lynne