Allergy Today 2022/23: Winter

Welcome to our latest issue of Allergy Today, Winter 2022.

Allergy News – Impact Report – Recruiting for Health Advisory Board – Palforzia launches in England ICS roll out in England – What does this mean for allergy care?

It’s that time of year when we reflect on the strides made over the last year to support the millions of people who live with allergic disease. Naturally with reflection, looking ahead closely follows, so our attentions also turn to what more can be done to improve access to allergy services in 2023.

This year however, we do this against a backdrop of the ICS (Integrated Care Systems) roll out in England. In place in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for some years, this is the first time an ICS structure is being rolled out with research findings available that evidence the benefits of placing specialist allergy provision at primary care level. A trial in Scotland, conducted between 2017 and 2020 and funded by Allergy UK, placed a specialist allergy nurse in a primary care setting to see patients from up to thirteen practices. The approach delivered much better patient outcomes in terms of diagnosis and management, with referrals to specialist secondary care practitioners reducing by up to 95%. Consequently, we believe Allergy UK has unrivalled legitimacy to call for a reformed approach to allergy service provision as part of the new ICS roll out in England.

Having outlined what a gold standard of allergy care looks like in our recently launched Patient Charter, the most effective way to deliver this is with a specialist allergy nurse and a dietitian appointed within each ICB at primary care level. In this way, mild to moderate cases of allergy would be held at primary care level, leaving specialist services free to focus on those more challenging of cases. For the patient, the benefits are quicker diagnoses and timely advice and support. For healthcare professionals it means demands on already stretched time and resources match the skillset and training held by most general practitioners. Over the coming months we will be sharing ways in which you can support our calls and further details on the trial, so watch this space and thank you for your ongoing support to the allergic community.

Read our winter issue of Allergy Today

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