The National Allergy Strategy Group ( NASG )

The NASG is an alliance of patient and professional organizations that have agreed to work together to improve allergy care in the UK.Established nearly a decade ago, The National Allergy Strategy Group (NASG) is now at a crucial stage of the campaigning for improved NHS allergy services. With three reports and a Department of Health review still not having made any substantial difference to the inadequate care currently on offer to allergy patients much work is still to be done.

Recent activity includes:

• The NASG appointed Mandy East to work as Parliamentary Officer during the summer of 2007. Mandy works half time on NASG issues combining this with work for the Anaphylaxis Campaign. Her role will help to coordinate the next stage of the NASG campaign to improve allergy services by adding continuity to the ongoing activity.

• An all party parliamentary group for allergy (APPGA) was set up in late 2007. This group will work with the NASG to keep the profile of allergy high in both Houses. The group will also work on publishing a report on allergy for debate in the House. The NASG will provide the secretariat to the APPGA. The AAPGA is chaired by Ian Stewart MP (lab Eccles) and has Jon Cruddas MP, Jo Swinson MP and Baroness Finlay of Llandaff as officers of the group.

• A survey will be undertaken this year of all Strategic Health Authorities (SHA) in England to discover what exactly is being commissioned and available for patients with allergy. 

• A series of patient led groups will be established across England (to coincide with the SHA areas) to lobby locally for change and to ensure local MPs are involved in any national action. The NASG is supporting those patient group members who wish to lobby their MPs to be involved with the APPGA and other parliamentary work.

• A parliamentary reception will be held in May 2008 debate how allergy can be better dealt with on the NHS. The reception will also act as a launch for the APPGA and create a platform for the NASG to raise awareness of the issue with MPS and key opinion makers.

• A manifesto for allergy will be written jointly with the APPGA in time for the expected general election in 2009. This will ensure all parties know what is needed for the long term.

• Ongoing work includes meeting with MPs, ministers, shadow ministers and spokespeople and the DH. The NASG also notes the publication of the House of Lords’ Science and Technology Committee report on allergy in late 2007.

The Report confirms that there is a huge rise in allergy and that there is inadequate provision across the NHS. There is a lack of specialists in allergy and inadequate knowledge amongst GPs which is leading to patients not getting adequate care. They recommend an allergy centre in each SHA (about 5 million patients), headed by a full time allergy specialist. This is the first step to begin to improve care at both the hospital and primary care level.

The NASG is concerned that this cannot happen without creating more training posts in allergy. There are a very small and entirely inadequate number of these now. It is essential to produce consultants in allergy to staff and develop these centres. The NASG will work with the key members of the Lords’ committee to develop their recommendations and to consult on the possibility of the regional pilot of an allergy centre in the North West.

The NASG represents the BSACI, The Anaphylaxis Campaign, Allergy UK and the Allergy Alliance. For more info contact Mandy East, Parliamentary Officer on 01252 893850 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or visit www.nasguk.org