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Despite spending 900m a year on the treatment of allergies, the NHS is still failing allergy sufferers, says Catherine Gaunt Anyone who works in early years care and education will be all too familiar with the rise of food allergies and the strict policies and procedures that need to be in place to protect young children.

Anyone who works in early years care and education will be all too familiar with the rise of food allergies and the strict policies and procedures that need to be in place to protect young children.

Peanut allergy, which ten years ago was considered to be rare, is now the most common food allergy to cause fatal or near-fatal reactions in children. It affects one in 70 children, and nuts are just one of the items on the list of foods that are now banned from the menu in many nurseries and schools.

Now the extent of the allergy epidemic and the overwhelming failure of the NHS to meet patient needs have been highlighted in a Royal College of Physicians (RCP) report, called Allergy: the Unmet Need - a blueprint for better patient care.

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