Gluten free product prescribing– a UK first in the Vale of York
Health chiefs in the Vale of York are reaching out to the local community to ask for their views on gluten free prescribing services.
NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) launched a revolutionary gluten free supermarket voucher pilot scheme in February 2016 which gave patients access to a greater choice of staple gluten free foods.
That pilot, which is a UK first, is now up for review and the CCG is asking local coeliac patients, whether they are taking part in the scheme or not, to give their views.
Dr Shaun O’Connell, a local GP and the CCG’s Clinical Lead for the project said: “The pilot scheme has many advantages to the patient as well as freeing up GP and pharmacy clinical time.
“Patient involvement and their views are crucial in the evaluation of this scheme. They play an important role in deciding on what the next best steps are for patients.”
The supermarkets currently taking part in the trial are Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, the Co-op and Tullivers health food shop, an independent shop on Colliergate in York.
Dr O’Connell added: “We place patients at the centre of their own care and we want to commission services that are shaped by the people who use them.”
If you are a local patient with coeliac disease, we would like to hear from you to help us shape how these services will look in the future by filling in our short, online survey: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/gffvoucherscheme. The survey closes on 12 August 2016.
For more information, or to request a paper or an alternative copy of the survey, please email valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net or call 01904 555870.
