The consultation is proposing to change secondary legislation only. The options are for gluten free products to be “blacklisted” ie GPs would be banned from prescribing them on the NHS, or to add differing ranges of products to the prescribing list, or to maintain the list.

The consultation does not propose minimum levels of access, and does not propose changes to the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Therefore, it must be assumed that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will continue to have the ability to make local policies in this area.

This means that where prescribing has been ended, that this is likely to continue, and that CCGs will continue to make proposals to adjust policies in this area, if they feel it necessary. The framework being proposed facilitates the continuation of local policy making by CCGs. However, if the outcome of the consultation is to allow the continuation of prescribing we will use the Department of Health response to go back to the CCGs and point out that the Government have clearly accepted that it is legitimate to prescribe gluten free products.

Most of our research is carried out externally however we do run a number of projects ourselves, some with the help of our members and volunteers.

If there is a planned poster presentation then a call for abstracts associated with the Research Conference will be advertised on our website with instructions on how to make a submission.

Members of Coeliac UK can opt in to be contacted about research and opportunities to get involved in research will be advertised on our website here: www.coeliac.org.uk/research/our-approach/recruiting-for-research

Members and non members are welcome to apply for research, but projects will have different inclusion and exclusion criteria such as: age, gender, location, length of diagnosis, etc., which may mean that some people are not suitable for particular projects. 

When Coeliac UK has a Research Call it will be advertised and posted on our website and across our social media platforms where you are encouraged to apply.

Outside of a Research Call, we are also interested in hearing about your research proposals as we may be able to help with extended research networks and there is often mutual benefit. We can also add your details to the Research Register we hold for coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.

If you would like to tell our Research Team about your research, then you can always complete our online form.

No, participation is always voluntary. After you have received information about a research project you are not obliged to participate and if you do consider becoming involved, you also have the right to change your mind at any time. 

In England, health policy is localised and in the last 12 months we have taken legal action where a CCG policy presented a blanket ban on gluten free prescribing. Once the results of the consultation are known we will consider next steps. The grounds for making a legal challenge may be very restricted if the implementation of change follows the law on the required consultation approach and appropriate changes in the regulations.