Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accessibility of allergy services at primary care level in England.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all people with allergies have access to the services they need to manage their condition. The majority of those with allergies can be supported by locally commissioned services, with specialist allergy clinics available for those with more severe or complex allergic conditions.

To support healthcare professionals; including those in primary care settings, in the implementation of clear care pathways, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of drug and food allergy in under 19s. The guidance aims to improve diagnosis by offering advice on how to identify allergies and when to refer to secondary or specialist care. A copy of the NICE guidance, ‘Food allergy in under 19s: assessment and diagnosis’ and ‘Drug allergy: diagnosis and management’ is attached.

The Royal College of General Practitioners have added allergy training to the new General Practitioner (GP) curriculum (2019) and to support existing GPs they have developed an allergy e-learning resource. Both resources aim to educate GPs about the various symptoms of allergic disease and to ensure that people with allergies can be effectively supported at primary care level.

On 27 October the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Allergy published their report ‘Meeting the challenges of the National Allergy Crisis’. The report outlined some of the challenges in both equity of provision and diagnosis in primary care for people living with allergies. A copy of the report is attached. We are working with the APPG and stakeholders alongside NHS England and Improvement to review the recommendations and ensure those living with allergies are appropriately supported.