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<p>The majority of services for people living with allergies are commissioned locally
through integrated care boards (ICBs), which are best placed to commission services
according to local need. Specialised allergy services are provided for patients with
severe and complex allergic conditions, or those who have common allergic conditions
for which conventional management has failed and for whom specified specialist treatments
are required. In 2023/24, these services are jointly commissioned by NHS England Specialised
Commissioning and the ICBs, in line with the published Specialist Allergy Service
Specification.</p><p>There is an established Clinical Reference Group (CRG), which
is responsible for providing national clinical advice and leadership for specialised
immunology and allergy services. The CRG uses its expertise to advise NHS England
on the best ways to provide specialised services. This includes developing national
standards in the form of service specifications and policies. The CRG commenced a
review of the current service specification in May 2023, which is expected to be complete
by summer 2024. The outcome of the service specification review will be an updated
specification which references up-to-date guidance and takes into account the latest
evidence base, to clearly define the standards of care for commissioned specialised
services.</p><p>To help promote awareness of allergies, the National Institute for
Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on a range of allergy conditions,
including food allergy in under 19-year-olds, anaphylaxis, and drug allergy. The NICE
promotes its guidance via its website, newsletters, and other media.</p><p>To support clinicians in the
implementation of clear care pathways, the NICE website has guidance to support diagnosis
and treatment of a range of allergy conditions, including how to identify allergies
and when to refer to specialist care, and how to ensure allergies are recorded in
their medical records. The NICE website also provides primary care practitioners
with access to clinical knowledge summaries outlining the current evidence base and
practical guidance on a range of skin conditions.</p>
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