MPs disappointed by response to report on allergy services
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《英国医生杂志》
The House of Commons health select committee, a cross party group of MPs that advises on health issues, has criticised the government抯 response last week to its report on allergy.
The committee had recommended the development of a nationwide specialist allergy service. The government, however, has asked for more evidence before acting on these recommendations. The Royal College of Physicians was also disappointed by the government抯 statement.
The committee抯 report, submitted last year, recommended setting up a specialist allergy centre in each of the eight health regions in England to provide centres for local networks of competent practice in allergy care and to facilitate training of primary care staff. The report warned that many patients with allergies were currently seen by dermatologists or immunologists but could be better managed by allergy specialists. In its response, the government said it was keen to improve the provision of more specialised services for allergy sufferers but called for more research to inform service developments.
Stephen Ladyman, a health minister, said: "We have considered the committee抯 report very carefully. We agree with much of it but believe that more information is needed before decisions on some of its recommendations can be taken." This includes a review of the available data and research on the epidemiology of allergic conditions, the demand for and provision of treatment, and the effectiveness of relevant interventions.
In response, David Hinchliffe, Labour MP for Wakefield and chairman of the House of Commons health select committee, said that further research was "completely unnecessary." He said: "Not only has the committee already reviewed all the available evidence, but we made it very clear that further delay in the provision of services is unacceptable. The government抯 reply to the committee抯 report falls way short of expectations. People with allergies will continue to suffer if the Department of Health ignores the recommendations made by our committee. I hope the Department of Health will reconsider its response and act quickly to help those in need."
Dr Rodney Burnham, Royal College of Physicians registrar, agreed, saying that the Royal College of Physicians was "disappointed with the government抯 response to the health select committee report on the provision of allergy services." He added : "The select committee抯 key recommendation and one on which all elements depend was to develop a national allergy service. The evidence to support this is available now." In addition to the select committee抯 report, a report from the Royal College of Physicians published in 2003, Allergy: The Unmet Need, argued that UK allergy services were totally inadequate and could not cope with the rising amount and increasing severity of allergy in the United Kingdom.
Dr Pamela Ewan, consultant allergist at Addenbrooke抯 Hospital, Cambridge, and an adviser to the health select committee抯 inquiry into allergy, added: "A lot of allergy is multisystem, with many patients having a range of conditions, including asthma, eczema, rhinitis, and a food allergy. Full time specialists in allergy are needed to deliver proper care to these patients, including allergy testing, appropriate treatment, and anaphylaxis management, rather than their seeing different specialists, such as chest physicians, for limited elements of their care." She considered that the government抯 call for further information a "whitewash." She said: "The data—including the epidemiology of allergy, the impact on patients and the health services, and evidence for the value of a specialist service—are already there."(London Susan Mayor)
The committee had recommended the development of a nationwide specialist allergy service. The government, however, has asked for more evidence before acting on these recommendations. The Royal College of Physicians was also disappointed by the government抯 statement.
The committee抯 report, submitted last year, recommended setting up a specialist allergy centre in each of the eight health regions in England to provide centres for local networks of competent practice in allergy care and to facilitate training of primary care staff. The report warned that many patients with allergies were currently seen by dermatologists or immunologists but could be better managed by allergy specialists. In its response, the government said it was keen to improve the provision of more specialised services for allergy sufferers but called for more research to inform service developments.
Stephen Ladyman, a health minister, said: "We have considered the committee抯 report very carefully. We agree with much of it but believe that more information is needed before decisions on some of its recommendations can be taken." This includes a review of the available data and research on the epidemiology of allergic conditions, the demand for and provision of treatment, and the effectiveness of relevant interventions.
In response, David Hinchliffe, Labour MP for Wakefield and chairman of the House of Commons health select committee, said that further research was "completely unnecessary." He said: "Not only has the committee already reviewed all the available evidence, but we made it very clear that further delay in the provision of services is unacceptable. The government抯 reply to the committee抯 report falls way short of expectations. People with allergies will continue to suffer if the Department of Health ignores the recommendations made by our committee. I hope the Department of Health will reconsider its response and act quickly to help those in need."
Dr Rodney Burnham, Royal College of Physicians registrar, agreed, saying that the Royal College of Physicians was "disappointed with the government抯 response to the health select committee report on the provision of allergy services." He added : "The select committee抯 key recommendation and one on which all elements depend was to develop a national allergy service. The evidence to support this is available now." In addition to the select committee抯 report, a report from the Royal College of Physicians published in 2003, Allergy: The Unmet Need, argued that UK allergy services were totally inadequate and could not cope with the rising amount and increasing severity of allergy in the United Kingdom.
Dr Pamela Ewan, consultant allergist at Addenbrooke抯 Hospital, Cambridge, and an adviser to the health select committee抯 inquiry into allergy, added: "A lot of allergy is multisystem, with many patients having a range of conditions, including asthma, eczema, rhinitis, and a food allergy. Full time specialists in allergy are needed to deliver proper care to these patients, including allergy testing, appropriate treatment, and anaphylaxis management, rather than their seeing different specialists, such as chest physicians, for limited elements of their care." She considered that the government抯 call for further information a "whitewash." She said: "The data—including the epidemiology of allergy, the impact on patients and the health services, and evidence for the value of a specialist service—are already there."(London Susan Mayor)