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Cautious optimism greets Select Committee report
26th September 2007
Allergy UK welcome the recommendation from the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee that more allergy centres should be established with an initial centre to be created outside of the London and South East area.
We note however that the report carefully states that the establishment of this first centre should be closely monitored for a cost analysis to be carried out and the lessons learnt to then be used to inform the development of further allergy centres in other areas. This would suggest that it will be several years before allergy sufferers can look forward to being able to easily obtain a referral to a general allergist in their area.
Similar recommendations were made in 2004 by the House of Commons Select Committee for Health but there has been nothing in the last three years since that report was published to suggest that the Government are taking serious steps to ease the burden of allergy sufferers by enabling them to see an appropriate specialist.
Given the Government’s commitment to delivering healthcare close to home and through local providers we are disappointed that the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee did not address in any detail the difficulties in dealing with allergy faced by GPs and other healthcare professionals working in primary care. We feel that an opportunity has been missed for recommendations regarding education and incentives to be made which would have strengthened the service that well trained primary care professionals could deliver for allergy sufferers.
We very much welcome the acknowledgment of the increasingly important service that pharmacists provide to allergy sufferers.
We look forward with cautious optimism to the possibility of a new allergy centre particularly if established in an area of dire need for allergy services.
For further information contact
Muriel Simmons or Jules Payne - 01322 619898
Mobile 07949 534643
E-mail Muriel@allergyuk.org