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20th July 2006
YET AGAIN, ALLERGY SUFFERERS HAVE BEEN LET DOWN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
The Department of Health Review of Allergy Services, which was released today, dashes all hope of an improved service within the NHS for the millions of people suffering from allergic disease.
The Department of Health acknowledged that there are gaps in the knowledge of healthcare professionals especially in the area of diagnosis which is the key to the management of all allergic disease.
Allergy UK and the other Patients Charities involved in allergy had looked for a commitment from the Government that central funding would be granted to allow for increased training and dedicated allergy clinics at primary and secondary care levels. This has not been granted, instead the Government are looking to local commissioning and strategic health authorities who are already financially over-stretched to try and meet the needs of sufferers.
Allergy is a multi-organ disease impacting on the social and financial aspects of sufferers lives as well as the NHS, yet with proper diagnosis and management this cost could be significantly reduced.
It is estimated that at present 1 in 3 of the population suffer from allergy at some time in their life and the Department of Health acknowledge in their review that severe allergy has tripled in the last 10 years. It is therefore totally unacceptable that allergy will continue to be the Cinderella of health services and yet again allergy sufferers have been let down.
For further information, please contact:-
Muriel Simmons Mob : 07949 534643 OR
Jules Payne Tel : 01322 611647