Statement regarding the inquest of Hannah Jacobs

The findings from inquest on the needless death of Hannah Jacobs made for difficult and sobering reading recently. The loss of such a young life is always heartbreaking, but to know that once again, a failure to take a food allergy seriously was the cause of Hannah’s death is exasperating, especially to anyone within the allergic community. Allergy UK’s thoughts are with Hannah’s family and loved ones as they navigate through this period of grief.

The inquest cast a spotlight on the critical importance of improved allergy awareness and training within the hospitality sector and especially the need for clear communication in environments where food and beverages are prepared and served.

According to the coroner’s report, the primary cause of Hannah’s death was identified as a failure to follow established procedures for discussing allergies. The coroner’s conclusion serves as a stark reminder that the presence of protocols is not enough; they must be diligently followed and enforced.

At Allergy UK, we continue to call for mandatory comprehensive allergy training in the food and drink industry. Hannah’s death is a poignant reminder of the human cost of the shortcomings in hospitality training, practices and enforcement.  It is evidence of an urgent need for continuous education and rigorous training for all staff in food service establishments.

This is why Allergy UK is currently developing a number of initiatives to improve training and specific understanding of food allergies within the hospitality industry. Currently mandatory training for this sector is confined to a broader food safety certification, where food allergy is an aspect rather than focus of the training.   We hope to be able to release more details on these schemes in 2025. If you are in the hospitality industry and would like to find out more, please contact Allergy UK for more information on endorsements@allergyuk.org.