Gluten free prescription costs triple over five-year period

Thu, 28 Jun 2018

The cost of providing gluten free food on prescription is over three times higher than it was five years ago.

During the last financial year, the Department of Health and Social Care provided 2107 items at a cost of £32,548.04.

The figure is over three times higher than it was during the 2013-14 period, when 679 items were provided at a cost of just over £9700.

The 2014-15 financial year saw the highest demand, with over £40,000 worth of gluten free food items supplied on prescription.

Over the last five years, providing such items has cost over £152,000.