Advocating for change to tackle health inequalities

In July, the Government announced a new plan to address the current problems of the NHS, described by Lord Darzi as being in ‘critical condition’. The 10 Year Health Plan for England, designed to “reimagine the NHS through transformational change”, has made multiple pledges, including the following:  

• The creation of a neighbourhood health service, with a National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, to establish a health centre in every community and ensure that 95% of people with complex needs have a health plan by 2027 
• A transition ‘from analogue to digital’, with the introduction of a single digital patient record including health risk, lifestyle, demographic and genomic (DNA) data  
• A significant overhaul of the NHS app, to include a ‘my specialist’ tool allowing patients to make self-referrals to specialist care, a ‘my companion’ tool to allow patients to communicate confidential health needs and information on their conditions and a ‘my medicines’ tool that will utilise AI to prevent adverse drug reactions 
• A focus on ‘empowering patients’ by introducing a new Choice Charter, with new tools including allowing patients to refer themselves to diagnostic services and review the results via the app.  

These pledges represent a once in a generation opportunity to overhaul the NHS and introduce service improvements, as well as to realise quality of life improvements for the millions who use the NHS every year.  

However, Allergy UK is deeply concerned that the 171-page document made no mention of allergy, despite the over 21 million people in the UK living with allergies.   

Given that the Government’s plans recognise the unmet need of those with long term health conditions, this is a deeply concerning oversight and a huge concern for the allergic community.  

Hospital admissions for allergic reactions have increased by 161% over the past 20 years. Allergy care now costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion annually, largely due to avoidable admissions, emergency interventions and the use of costly alternative medications for unconfirmed drug allergies.  

Despite this, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by Allergy UK in March 2023 showed that there were only 8,539 patients whose allergic condition was recorded at NHS Integrated Care Board level in England. The data highlights a worrying disconnect between the information recorded and the reality experienced by patients within the system.  

 “In conducting health needs assessments to inform their commissioning decisions, Integrated Care Boards will have access to a wide range of data sources, including public health data, hospital statistics, primary care data and social care metrics.”  

• Baroness Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, 21 July 2025  

Of the NHS Integrated Care Boards contacted in 2023, 93% had no concept of the potential needs of their allergic populationand not one held data on whether there were any specialist allergy nurses or dietitians within their region.  

It is clear that Integrated Care Boards do not have access to the data sources they need to inform commissioning decisions. Further, it is evident that the Government is not aware of this reality.  

Allergy UK calls on the Government to embed our key policy recommendations into its 10-Year Health Plan:  

• To create a National Allergy Register, to consolidate patient data nationwide and create unified understanding of allergy prevalence 
• Accurate data is vital for knowing what services need to be commissioned and to ensure the safeguarding of people with allergies. Our findings highlight the alarming lack of service accessibility and the absence of reliable data on patient experience metrics and outcomes 
• The promised single patient record must include consolidated allergen information, to tackle major shortfalls in the management and collection of allergy data, and to enable informed commissioning of appropriate health care solutions 
• A National Allergy Register is essential in designing patient services that can deliver at primary care level, a cornerstone of the national neighbourhood health implementation programme 
• Allergy UK is also calling for the introduction of an allergy nurse and dietitian in every Integrated Care System, to ensure those living with allergies can access specialist care 
• With a clear focus on prevention and a pledge to create a ‘my specialist’ tool streamlining access to specialist care, there is no better time to ensure that patients with complex health needs have access to the care they deserve.  

Our call to action  

“Our reimagined NHS will be designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as to give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.”  

 Allergy UK has long argued that specialist allergy services should be offered universally and not be dependent on where you live – and the recognition of existing health inequality by the Government is welcome. Yet, despite a pledge to ensure that those with long-term health conditions will receive greater access and support, the Government continues to disregard, distort and diminish the needs of the allergic community. Currently, the waiting time for a specialist allergy consultation following a GP referral is 6-18 months on average but, for many in regions with fewer specialists, the wait can take years, during which time those with conditions often see them worsen.  

The 10 Year Health Plan presents a vehicle for fundamental change and we remain committed to working with the Government to realise our key asks, to ensure the voice of the allergic community is heard during the development of this pivotal plan and that the unmet need is recognised.   

It is time for structural evidence-based solutions to tackle this growing public health issue within the NHS.  

We need your help. Working in partnership with healthcare professionals helps us improve the quality of care for individuals with allergies, and adding your voices and patient management experiences reinforces our case for improved allergy service provision. You can support our calls by writing to your local MP to advocate for the Government’s adoption of our key asks.

Join us – and advocate for the change that is long overdue.