Gluten-free food prescriptions under review in South Yorkshire amid rising costs and national changes

The South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is weighing up a new recommendation that would see gluten-free bread and flour mixes prescribed only to children aged 18 and under.

The move would save an estimated £371,772 per year and has emerged as the preferred approach following an in-depth reassessment of local and national policy, health inequalities, cost pressures, and patient feedback.

The region currently prescribes gluten-free foods in line with Coeliac UK’s national guidelines, with slight differences depending on where you live. For example, people in Sheffield and Barnsley can access more products than before, while the offering in Rotherham was recently reduced.

But rising food prices, NHS funding pressures, and differences in prescription access across the country have prompted the ICB to consider changes. Areas such as West Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Nottinghamshire have already scrapped gluten-free prescriptions altogether, except in exceptional cases.

The ICB’s report points out that while the total cost of gluten-free prescribing across South Yorkshire stood at just under £444,000 last year, the potential health risks and long-term costs associated with poor adherence must also be considered.

The report highlights concerns that cutting prescriptions could worsen health inequalities, particularly among families living in poverty or with limited access to specialist foods. Previous data showed that over half of those currently receiving prescriptions in Barnsley live in areas ranked among the most deprived.

NHS South Yorkshire said further public engagement is planned, especially with people who might be disproportionately affected by any changes.

A decision on the final approach has yet to be made, but health leaders said the changes are part of wider efforts to ensure public money is used fairly and sustainably.