Services Database Gluten Free Scheme

The provision of a gluten free scheme to allow patients to obtain gluten free foods directly from their community pharmacy without the need for an FP10.

The pharmacist will discuss with the patient (or, in the case of children, the patient’s representative/parent) to identify the products and quantities that the patient requires, following the national guidelines and recommendations. The pharmacist will then at his/her discretion, make the supply in accordance with the requirements of the gluten free scheme operating manual.

The pharmacy will maintain a record of:

• the supply on the patient’s dispensing card; and
• any product that is supplied in the patient medication record.

A fee equivalent in value to the current NHS prescription charge should be collected unless the patient is exempt in accordance with the NHS Charges for Drugs and Appliances Regulations. Where a fee is paid a patient must sign a declaration. A prescription refund and receipt form as approved by the Secretary of State must be provided if the patient requests it. Any fees collected from patients will be deducted from the sum payable to the pharmacy.

If a patient is exempt from paying a fee in accordance with the NHS Charges for Drugs and Appliances Regulations, evidence of entitlement to exemption should be provided by the patient for the pharmacy to check and the patient must make a declaration of entitlement. Where a claim to exemption has been made but is not substantiated, the charge should be recovered from the patient by the commissioner.

Please note, this service was decommissioned on 30th November 2016. 

As a pharmacy accredited service, the pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists involved in the provision of the service have received the relevant authorisation to provide the service from NHS Kernow CCG or the local NHS England team for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.