Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the federated data platform will include functionality to enable the creation of a consolidated national allergy register.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The current use cases for the Federated Data Platform (FDP) are:
- elective recovery, to address the backlog of people waiting for appointments or treatments;
- care coordination, to enable the effective coordination of care between local health and care organisations and services, reducing the number of long stays in hospital;
- vaccination and immunisation, to continue to support the vaccination and immunisation of vulnerable people while ensuring fair and equal access and uptake across different communities;
- population health management, to help integrated care systems proactively plan services that meet the needs of their population; and
- supply chain management, to help the National Health Service put resources where they are needed most, and buy smarter so that we get the best value for money.
The creation of a consolidated national allergy register, or identifiable national clinical data registries, is not in the current scope of the FDP, which will not be processing identifiable patient data at a national level. More products will be developed on the FDP throughout the lifecycle of this programme.
The FDP programme has developed a front door process and demand assessment framework which will be used for new requirements coming into the programme. The assessment framework assesses ideas and requests on the basis of their fit to the core FDP objectives and targeted business case outcomes, as well as assessing against the feasibility of successful delivery when considering things like cost, capacity, wider system dependencies, and other factors. In regard to a consolidated national allergy register, we would expect discussions to be held initially within the National Disease Registry Service.
Alongside the FDP, NHS England are investing in platform modernisation, including the Patient Outcomes and Registries Platform (ORP) which is a unified national registry platform integrated into NHS England’s system data infrastructure for improved data security, flow, linkage, and analysis, and faster pace of registry development.
The ORP’s directions cover all outcome registries, patient-reported outcome measures and patient-reported experience measures, and shared decision-making and data collections across a wide range of conditions, including all surgical and interventional procedures in the NHS and independent sector. A national allergy register or registry may be in the scope for the ORP’s coverage.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that food businesses adhere to food labelling standards for items (a) containing common allergens and (b) marketed as (i) vegetarian and (ii) vegan.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food businesses selling food in the UK must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way. For example, food businesses are under a legal obligation to provide accurate information on the presence of the 14 major allergens in food, so that people who have allergies and intolerances can make safe food choices.
While there are no specific rules covering information on the suitability of food for vegetarians or vegans, the requirement that food information must not mislead consumers applies to such labels as for other voluntary labels.
It is the duty of Local Authorities to enforce food safety and labelling regulations, to help ensure food is safe for people living with a food allergy. The Food Standards Agency have agreements and protocols in place to support local authorities in their work and give guidance to explain the regulations and how they can be applied to food businesses.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent guidance her Department has provided to (a) schools and (b) other educational institutions on food (i) labelling and (ii) allergens.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department provides statutory guidance for schools, ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions’, which makes clear that schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with allergies and have processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/allergy-guidance-for-schools.
In early years settings, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets the standards that all registered early years providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five. The framework is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.
The EYFS states that before a child is admitted to the setting the provider must also obtain information about any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that the child has, and any special health requirements.
The EYFS signposts to the Department of Health and Social Care document ‘Example menus for early years settings in England’ which includes guidance on menu planning, food safety, managing food allergies and reading food labels, which staff preparing food will find helpful in ensuring that children are kept safe. The guidance is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658870/Early_years_menus_part_1_guidance.pdf.
The ‘Help for early years providers’ online platform, owned by the department, has a food safety page which also signposts to resources on allergies. This page is available at: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-and-welfare/food-safety#allergies. The department is also developing nutrition content for the platform which will have a section on allergies and resources such as a common allergies table.
Higher education (HE) institutions and further education institutions are autonomous and it is the responsibility of individual HE institutions to implement and adhere to relevant guidelines with regards to labelling and allergens.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) promotes its resources including information on allergen labelling and management to all food business operators including schools, nurseries, colleges, and other institutional caterers.
The FSA has published guidance relevant to schools and other educational institutions including sector specific guidance in July 2021 for new allergen labelling legislation which came into force in October 2021. Guidance for institutional caterers (including schools) has been on the FSA website since at least 2017. This has links to training courses offered by allergy charities. In September 2020, the FSA also launched free allergen training which has had over 530,000 users to date, with nearly 75,000 of these being from the education sector.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make it his policy to implement Owen's Law in line with the recommendations of the Food Standards Agency.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. The United Kingdom maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.
At the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) December 2023 board meeting, the board agreed a revised policy for provision of allergen information for food businesses selling non-prepacked food, such as coffee shops and restaurants. The new policy sets an expectation for these businesses to provide allergen information in writing as well as having a conversation. The board also agreed their preference would be for written information to be mandatory.
As a non-ministerial department, the FSA cannot make legislation and has written to Ministers in England and Wales, the Executive in Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland for views on these matters.
In the meantime, the FSA will develop guidance to implement this policy and provide support for food businesses on how to provide written allergen information to help drive up compliance and make it easier for people with a food allergy, intolerance or coeliac disease to make safe choices when eating out.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress the Clinical Reference Group for allergies has made.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England’s Clinical Reference Group (CRG) provides clinical advice and leadership for both Specialised Immunology and Specialised Allergy services.
The CRG advises NHS England on the optimal arrangements for the commissioning of specialised services. This includes developing national standards in the form of service specifications and policies. The CRG commenced a review of the current published Specialist Allergy Service Specification in May 2023, which is expected to be complete by summer 2024. The outcome of the service specification review will be an updated specification which references up to date guidance and takes into account the latest evidence base to clearly define the standards of care for commissioned specialised services.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths from allergies there have been in each year since 2000, by type of allergy.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 28 November is attached.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to adopt Allergy UK's Patient Charter as a plan for patient rights for people living with allergic conditions.
Answered by Will Quince
The majority of allergy services are commissioned locally by integrated care boards, with a small number of specialist allergy services for patients with complex and severe allergies commissioned nationally by NHS England. The service specification specifies that centres provide equity of access to best practice standards for diagnosis and management, based on current national and international guidelines.
The Department and NHS England continue to engage with stakeholders, including Allergy UK, to understand the needs of people with allergies and how services could be improved. This includes patient and public voice membership in NHS England’s clinical reference group which provides clinical advice and leadership on specialised immunology and allergy services.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that children with suspected allergies receive a diagnosis.
Answered by Will Quince
To support healthcare professionals in ensuring that children with suspected allergies receive a diagnosis, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a range of evidence-based best practice guidance for clinicians and commissioners. These include guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of drug and food allergy in under-19s [CG116]; the diagnosis and management of atopic eczema in the under-12s [CG57]; and diagnosing, monitoring, and managing asthma in adults, young people and children [NG80].
NICE guidelines represent best practice, and health professionals, including general practitioners, are expected to take them fully into account. It should be noted, however, that the guidelines are not mandatory and do not replace the judgement of clinicians in determining the most appropriate treatment for individual patients.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate increases in the number of hospital admissions associated with (a) allergies and (b) anaphylaxis.
Answered by Will Quince
People with allergies continue to be supported through locally commissioned NHS services. For people with rare and complex allergic conditions, specialised allergy services are commissioned by NHS England in line with the published service specification.
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced a range of guidance to support the care of people with allergies, including recommendations on what information and support should be provided to the child or young person and their families to help manage one’s condition and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
On 1 October 2021, Natasha’s Law made it a legal requirement for food operators to display allergen labelling on food items pre-packed for direct sale, protecting those with allergies and giving them more confidence in the food they buy.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently considering how to improve the provision of information for people with allergies and are researching different approaches for the provision of written and verbal information to improve the accuracy and communications of allergen information. The FSA has recently commissioned several pieces of research in this area. These will provide new evidence on the nature and extent of food hypersensitivity reactions, different international approaches to written information, and the business operating models of small and micro businesses in the non-prepacked sector. These reports will be published in due course and will be presented to the FSA Board to consider next steps.
In June 2023, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published new guidance on the use adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), highlighting the latest safety advice on the steps to take during anaphylaxis. The new guidance includes a step infographic guide and video outlining the latest advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM’s) working group on the safe and effective use of AAIs. It includes an easy step-by-step guide on what to do in an emergency and provides updated advice on body positioning.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merit of each Intrgetated Care System having a (a) specialist allergy nurse and (b) specialist dietician.
Answered by Will Quince
No assessment has been made. Most services for people living with allergies are commissioned locally through integrated care boards, which are best placed to commission services according to local need.