Call for urgent action over high allergy rates in the UK
A new report states 39% of children and 30% of adults are affected by allergies
Charities, medical professionals, and patients are urging the UK Government to address allergy care as millions of people suffer from conditions that are "dramatically under-resourced" by the NHS.
A newly developed National Allergy Strategy highlights a concerning issue, noting that the UK has some of the highest allergy rates globally. Specifically, the report states 39% of children and 30% of adults are affected by allergies.
Organisations including Allergy UK and Anaphylaxis UK contributed to this strategy, which advocates for systemic changes across health, education, food, and workplace settings. The strategy emphasises incorporating allergies into national policy and enhancing safety standards.
Most GPs begin their careers with no training in allergy yet more than one in three of their patients have allergic conditions and 8% of consultations are allergy-related,.
Professor Adam Fox, who chairs the National Allergy Strategy group, stated, "For too long, despite the scale of the problem, too little has been done to develop solutions."
As part of recent developments, schools in England must ensure allergy training for staff and keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors for emergencies, following the tragic case of five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who died in December 2021 due to an anaphylactic reaction at school.
Campaigners are also working on 'Owen’s Law,' requiring clear allergen information when ordering food. This initiative is named after a Sussex teenager who passed away from an allergic reaction at a burger bar.
The strategy calls for UK Governments to recognise allergies as a long-term condition that necessitates national action. The NHS is urged to prioritise allergy care similarly.
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, whose daughter died from a food-related allergic reaction, advocates for dedicated leadership in allergy services: "There is a postcode lottery of care, insufficient numbers of allergy doctors, long waiting times for allergy testing and service gaps."
Simone Miles, CEO of Allergy UK, believes the strategy offers necessary direction after years of neglect: "The gulf in allergy care is the result of years of policy neglect and can be fixed with policy solutions."
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the impact of allergies on daily lives and stated the Government's commitment to improving care in collaboration with experts and organisations.