Delivering a national allergy strategy: my reflections from parliament
Christine Mwasuku, ARNS Research and Education sub committee member
I had the privilege of attending Delivering a National Allergy Strategy: Next Steps for Allergy Care, a parliamentary drop-in session held at the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 16 June 2026. The event was developed and funded by ALK, hosted by Chris Bloore MP, and opened by Emil Stage-Olsen, General Manager UK&I at ALK. It brought together clinicians, policymakers, patient representatives and system leaders to discuss what should follow the launch of the UK’s first National Allergy Strategy.
Walking into Parliament was an experience in itself. The historic architecture and grand surroundings created a real sense of occasion. It felt slightly surreal, but also significant, to hear allergy care being discussed in a place where national decisions are shaped. For anyone who has the opportunity to attend an event at parliament, I would highly recommend taking it!
Despite the impressive setting, our conversations remained focused on the everyday difficulties experienced by patients. The main message was: publishing the National Allergy Strategy is an important achievement, but its implementation is what will ultimately improve lives.
I learned that an estimated 21 million people in the UK live with an allergy, including 4.5 million who are at risk of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Emil explained that, despite this substantial burden, allergy care remains fragmented and inconsistently commissioned. Patients face long waiting lists, limited specialist provision and considerable variation in care depending on where they live. This message particularly resonated with me because my brother has experienced this fragmented care. Despite experiencing anaphylaxis twice, it took two years for him to receive an adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen). His experience brought home the real human consequences of the gaps being discussed.
A consultant in adult allergy working within a tertiary service spoke about the shortage of specialist adult allergists. We heard that there are only around 50 in the UK! I also did not hear nurse allergy consultant roles discussed, which made me reflect on whether advanced nursing roles could help strengthen the allergy workforce. Patients currently struggle to access specialist assessments, food or drug challenges, psychological support and specialist dietetic services. We also heard that there are very few psychologists specialising in allergy care.
Access to treatment varies geographically and is compounded by the limited availability of specialist services. Allergen immunotherapy was highlighted as an evidence-based treatment that can address the underlying allergic disease rather than only controlling its symptoms. However, patients may be able to access an approved treatment in one area but not another because of differences in local prescribing and commissioning decisions.
This felt familiar from asthma and COPD care, where access to biologics, pulmonary rehabilitation and specialist services can also vary. As we all know national guidance alone does not guarantee equitable care; it must be supported by effective local commissioning, sufficient workforce capacity and clear accountability.
I found it particularly interesting that speakers looked to asthma and COPD as examples of conditions that have benefited from clearer national leadership, established pathways and measurable standards, including incentive frameworks such as QOF. As respiratory professionals, we know that these systems are not perfect, but it was striking to hear asthma care discussed as something from which allergy services could learn. For those working in allergy care, asthma and COPD provide both models for progress and reminders that national guidance must translate into consistent local delivery.
Other important issues included the overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of allergy, inappropriate penicillin-allergy labels, and adrenaline auto-injectors being prescribed without adequate training or action plans. The “cliff edge” experienced by young people moving from paediatric to adult allergy services was also highlighted.
In response to Rachel’s question, ILO, specific IgE testing and biologics for nasal polyps were not discussed directly. When I raised these areas, there did not appear to be an immediate consensus about them. However, the consultant described patients being passed between specialties without their symptoms being considered holistically. I think ILO reflects the same wider challenge: differentiating allergy from overlapping conditions and deciding whether respiratory, allergy or ENT services should take responsibility for treatments that cross traditional specialty boundaries.
The event was highly relevant to respiratory nursing because allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis are so closely connected. Respiratory nurses are well placed to identify possible allergic triggers, consider whether allergy is contributing to poor asthma control, provide patient education and highlight gaps in access to care.
When I spoke to Emil, we discussed how ARNS could support the National Allergy Strategy by raising awareness, strengthening allergy education for respiratory nurses, promoting links between respiratory and allergy services, and sharing lessons from asthma and COPD care.
A particularly meaningful part of the event was adding my signature to a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The letter called on the government to provide clear national leadership and accountability for allergy care, improve access to disease-modifying treatments and strengthen the emergency response. Although, with the recent changes in government, I hope these promises are still being pushed forward.
On the day, I left Parliament feeling inspired, but also aware of how much work remains. Allergy is often underestimated as a health condition, and my family’s experience made the discussions especially meaningful to me. It was powerful to be part of a serious conversation about allergy care in such an influential setting.
The National Allergy Strategy offers a genuine opportunity for change, but it now requires national leadership, equitable commissioning and measurable action to ensure that its ambitions become a reality for patients.
Finally, thank you to ARNS for giving me the opportunity to attend and represent the respiratory nursing perspective.
Christine Mwasuku, ARNS Research and Education sub committee member