Child allergy clinics offer unequal care, say doctors

Child allergy clinics have quadrupled in 15 years, data show, but doctors warn that national treatment standards are needed to tackle a postcode lottery of care.

The National Survey of United Kingdom Paediatric Allergy Services found that child allergy clinics in the UK increased from 58 in 2006 to 229 in 2019/2020. The number of appointments available increased seven-fold over the period, from around 12,750 to 85,600, they added.

But more must be done to standardise care for children with allergies around the UK, the researchers said, to ensure “consistent and safe service provision”.