Meeting the Challenges of the National Allergy Crisis

Meeting the challenges of the National Allergy Crisis

A report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy and the National Allergy Strategy Group

Mandy East

National Allergy Strategy Group

On October 27th the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy in conjunction with the National Allergy Strategy Group (NASG) launched a report “Meeting the Challenges of the National Allergy Crisis” which calls for an influential lead for allergy to be appointed who can implement a new national strategy to help the millions of people across the UK affected by allergic disease. The report was delivered to Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Care and Mental Health outside the Department of Health by nine year old Arlo Gillard Moss and seven year old Monty Martin in the presence of a group of people of varying ages who are living with allergic disease;

representatives from the patient groups Allergy UK and the Anaphylaxis Campaign; members of the BSACI and the All-Party Group chair Jon Cruddas MP appg in the hope that Ministers will

Meeting the challenges of the National Allergy Crisis pay attention to the growing epidemic and the lack of NHS services available. Ms Keegan

A report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy and the National Allergy Strategy Group spent time with the youngsters hearing about their multiple allergies and how they manage their day to day lives and also spoke with Dr Pam Ewan, chair of the National Allergy Strategy OCTOBER 2021This Report was researched and funded by the Na� onal Allergy Strategy Group This is not an offi cial publica� on of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its commi� ees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in par� cular issues. The views expressed in this report are those of the group. Group. The core problem is the very small number of consultants in adult and paediatric allergy and the fact that most GPs receive no training in allergy. This mismatch has continued despite millions of patients having significant allergic disease and that allergy is a complex specialty involving many areas.

Delivering the report - patient representatives from Allergy UK with Gillian Keegan, MP, and members of the BSACI

Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Care and Mental Health, receiving the report from Arlo Gillard Moss and Monty Martin

Over the last two decades a series of reports reviewed the prevalence of allergic diseases, consequent patient need and service provision. The reports were: • Allergy: the unmet need, Royal College of

Physicians, 2003 • The Provision of Allergy Services, House of

Commons Health Select Committee, 2004 • A Review of Services for Allergy, Department of

Health, 2006 • The Nature and Extent of Allergy in the UK, evidence to the DH report, British Society for

Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2006 • Allergy, House of Lords Science and

Technology Committee, 2007 • Allergy Services: Still not meeting the unmet need, Royal College of Physicians and Royal

College of Pathologists, 2010 The findings and recommendations were similar across all these reports and highlighted that allergy was poorly managed across the NHS due to a lack of training and manpower with expertise. The recommendations were that specialist services needed significant improvement and improved knowledge and awareness was required in primary care.

This current report makes the following recommendations for action:

1. A National Plan for allergy

Make allergy a priority and invest in a National Plan led by a designated DHCS or NHS lead with sufficient authority to implement change. Bring together medical professionals and patient support organisations to work together to develop the strategy and help steer the work required to improve allergy services.

Jon Cruddas, Deb Marriage, Pam Ewan, Fiona Rayner and Adam Fox

2. Specialist Care

Expand the specialist workforce as a priority. Ensure training programmes prioritise allergy so that specialists of the future are appropriately trained and can safely deliver care.

3. Primary Care

Ensure all GPs and health care professionals in primary care have knowledge of allergic disease (8% of GP consultations are for allergy). Ensure allergy is included in the GP curriculum (RCGP have recently added allergy for new GP exams) and exit examination and improve allergy education for the already qualified GPs. Appoint a health visitor and/ or a practice nurse with sufficient training to be responsible for allergy in each practice

4. Commissioning

For local commissioners to understand the allergy needs of their population; and that it is not adequate to assume that other specialties can deliver specialist allergy care. Commissioners should ensure access to adult and paediatric allergy consultants and pathways of allergy care.

The report is available to read on the NASG website: www.nasguk.org