Gluten-free bakeries are calling on the NHS to investigate charges added to prescription gluten-free bread by wholesalers, after a spate of media reports criticised the cost of such products to taxpayers. Wholesalers have been known to charge pharmacies anywhere between £20-60 per prescription because they say gluten-free products qualify as 'special' products under NHS sourcing rules and require extra administration and handling. Pharmacies are legitimately allowed to claim these charges back from the NHS. The practice has led to a number of newspaper reports claiming that the NHS in Wales pays, on average, £32 for each gluten-free loaf bought on prescription, although this was dismissed as incorrect by Welsh Health Minister Lesley Griffiths, who said the real figure was just £2.82 per loaf.
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