A RENEWED plea has been made for people to have their say over planned changes to the prescribing of gluten-free foods.

NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is currently consulting on the issue.

One option is to end the provision of gluten-free foods on prescription.

A CCG spokesman said: "The NHS has prescribed these foods like bread, flour, cereal and pasta for people with coeliac disease for more than 30 years.

"The policy was created at a time when gluten-free foods were not as readily available as they are today.

"But the NHS is still spending £25 million a year to provide the products on prescription; Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG spends over £100,000 a year, for approximately 580 patients.

"With an increasing demand for services, coupled with the financial challenges, the NHS must look at all the products and services provided and make decisions about what to expand and what to reduce."

A series of consultation drop-in sessions is being staged across the district, with the final one taking place at Skipton Town Hall on March 3, from 10.15am to 11.45am.

People can also complete a questionnaire at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/65HXF2X, e-mail their comments to engage@awcccg.nhs.uk or write to NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group, Millennium Business Park, Station Road, Steeton, Keighley BD20 6RB.

The consultation closes on March 31.