Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease, strongly opposes the proposed removal of gluten-free prescribing by the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire NHS Cluster for patients in Oxfordshire (Wednesday’s Oxford Mail).

Gluten-free food on prescription is crucial to support people with coeliac disease, to maintain their health and avoid more serious complications associated with non-adherence to the diet.

By removing access to prescriptions, we are concerned that families on low incomes, families with more than one person who has coeliac disease, the elderly and people with no means of transport will suffer the most.

We are in discussion with the Primary Care Trust responsible for the proposal and are hopeful of a positive resolution.

Gluten-free food is not as widely available as the NHS in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire suggests.

Independent research shows that gluten-free food is only available in the major supermarkets and virtually absent in budget and convenience stores.

What is more, gluten-free flours and breads can cost up to four times more than their gluten-containing counterparts, which could result in a food bill costing hundreds of pounds more than the average shopping allowance every year.

Those most vulnerable will be hit the hardest by this.

Medical gastroenterology experts agree that access to gluten-free food on prescription plays an important role in the management of coeliac disease among patients.

All evidence-based clinical guidelines relevant to coeliac disease include the need to access prescriptions.

This means the most disadvantaged people would struggle to maintain their gluten-free diet if they had to rely on costly supermarkets for the food.

And since the only treatment for coeliac disease is to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet, we believe this will put people at risk of more serious complications, such as infertility, osteoporosis and bowel cancer.

Coeliac UK has worked with various professional bodies and health committees to publish a toolkit advising health care professionals on ways in which to cut costs without restricting prescriptions.

JO ARCHER, Campaigns and communications manager, Coeliac UK, High Wycombe

I AM concerned that your story about the proposal to stop all gluten-free prescriptions for people with coeliac disease in Oxfordshire misses the real point.

People see the ‘free from’ aisles in big supermarkets and assume that gluten-free food is easily available, at virtually no extra cost.

The evidence from recent research carried out by King’s College London does not back this up.

So if you are on a low income, have a number of family members who are coeliac, are elderly or without transport, then you are at a huge disadvantage in trying to maintain your gluten-free diet.

And if you cannot keep to your diet, you risk suffering from a number of health problems, costing the NHS more than ever.

Coeliac UK recommends a different approach to gluten-free prescribing, which will help the NHS make savings while protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

I hope the NHS in Oxfordshire takes this approach.

SARAH MITSON, Chair of Coeliac UK, Oxford