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Showing results for tags 'Allergies'.
Found 47 results
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News ArticleA nurse from scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital ordered a pregnant woman to take medication she was allergic to. Christine Speake, who had worked in the NHS for almost 40 years as a midwife and nurse, has been struck-off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register after a tribunal heard she told the mother to “just take it” and then tried to cover-up her mistake after the woman suffered a reaction. The NMC hearing was told the 11-week pregnant patient and her unborn child could have died after being prescribed the Buscopan by a junior doctor to treat severe nausea and vomiting in January 2019. The woman – named only as 'Patient A' – was given the drug by Speake despite her allergy being included in her medical records. Speake was employed as a sister on the gynaecology ward at the Princess Royal Hospital. When the mother questioned what she was being given, Speake, who has worked as a midwife and nurse since 1985, snapped "just take it". The panel heard Patient A then had a violent reaction and broke out in a rash and started vomiting. But Speake, who realised her mistake, then failed to tell her colleagues in a bid to “cover up” what she had done and later resigned, the NMC tribunal heard. Read full story Source: The Independent, 26 October 2021
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Content ArticleThe purpose of this study from Roberts et al. was to explore anxiety, worry, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in parents of children with food allergies, and to evaluate whether these three psychological outcomes could be predicted by allergy severity, intolerance of uncertainty, and food allergy self-efficacy. The study highlights the need for greater awareness of mental health in parents of children with food allergy.
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Content Article
In this blog for the hub, Tim McLachlan, Chief Executive of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, highlights the lack of support available for patients and their families who spend their lives trying to keep either themselves or their children safe. To date there has been little attention, importance and investment given to NHS allergy services and this, he says, needs to change. -
Content ArticleThis study from Baseggio Conrado et al. describe time trends for hospital admissions due to food anaphylaxis in the United Kingdom over the past 20 years. The authors found that hospital admissions for food induced anaphylaxis have increased from 1998 to 2018, however the case fatality rate has decreased. In school aged children, cow’s milk is now the most common single cause of fatal anaphylaxis.
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Content ArticleThis free online e-learning course is designed for parents and carers of severely allergic children. This course aims to improve and update knowledge about the everyday management of severe allergies. Topics include: What happens in an anaphylactic reaction Early recognition of the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis How and when to use adrenaline injectors, and how to care for these devices Crisis management The long-term management, such as avoidance of allergens What you need to know to lessen the risk of a severe allergic reaction Food labelling regulations in the UK and Europe The role of parents and carers in enabling schools to support children who have severe allergies. Individuals can work through this course at their own pace, it will take around 1 hour to complete. Upon successful completion of this AllergyWise course (75% pass rate) you can buy a certificate for £5 plus VAT for proof. To register please follow the link below.
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Content ArticleThe Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF) has added its voice to a chorus of growing safety concerns about the rise in businesses operating out of people’s homes. NARF said urgent government intervention on food safety standards is required to deal with the subject that has gained increased attention during the coronavirus pandemic. Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of Natasha’s Foundation, said the emergence of tens of thousands of at-home and dark kitchens during the COVID-19 pandemic raises fears about food safety, particularly for the two million plus people in the UK who have food allergies. “...we need ministerial intervention, laws to ensure businesses are regulated, inspected and rated, and an urgent commitment to boost resources targeted at food safety. The cost of failure for many families will be too high.” The Foundation was set up by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who died in 2016 after an allergic reaction to sesame in a baguette. It has been instrumental in new labeling legislation, called Natasha’s Law, that will come into force in the UK beginning in October.
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News ArticlePeople with allergies and pregnant women can now be given the country’s two approved COVID-19 vaccines, the medical regulator said on Wednesday. Previous advice from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said people with a range of allergies to food and medicines should not be given the Pfizer vaccine. Dr June Raine, the MHRA’s chief executive, said growing evidence from a pool of at least 800,000 people in the UK and around 1.5 million people in the US who have had the vaccine has "raised no additional concerns". This, she continued, "gives us further assurance that the risk of anaphylaxis can be managed through standard clinical guidance and an observation period following vaccination of at least 15 minutes. Read full story Source: The Independent, 30 December 2020
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Content ArticleA deep learning algorithm accurately identified allergic reactions in hospital patient safety reports, which could help providers avoid medical errors and improve event surveillance, according to a study from Yang et al. published in JAMA Network Open. Allergic reactions – to medications, foods, and healthcare products – are becoming increasingly common in the US. Researchers noted that up to 36% of patients report drug allergies, and 4-10% report food allergies. Patients in healthcare settings are at particularly high risk of developing an allergic reaction, and it’s critical that providers are able to quickly detect and monitor these events. Results of this study suggest that deep learning can improve the accuracy and efficiency of the allergic reaction identification process, which may facilitate future real-time patient safety surveillance and guidance for medical errors and system improvement.
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News ArticleThe UK’s drug regulator has warned that people with have a history of “significant” allergic reactions should not receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued the warning after two NHS staff members who were administered with doses on Tuesday both suffered an allergic reaction. NHS England said all trusts involved with the vaccination programme have been informed. Dr June Raine, chief executive of the MHRA, said the regulatory body was examining the cases. “We know from the very extensive clinical trials this wasn’t a feature," she told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. "But if we need to strengthen our advice now that we’ve had this experience in the vulnerable populations - the groups that have been selected as a priority - we get that advice to the field immediately.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 8 December 2020
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Content ArticleThe Patient Safety Authority has put together information and tips for patients on a range of topics.
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Content ArticlePeople with severe food allergies should carry two adrenaline autoinjector pens with them at all times, according to new guidance. Updated advice from The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says healthcare professionals should always offer people with severe allergies a prescription for two adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), which deliver potentially life-saving doses of the hormone to treat anaphylaxis, before being discharged from hospital after emergency treatment. They should also advise patients to always carry two devices with them, the guidance states.
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Content ArticleThe National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released updated guidance which says that healthcare professionals should now prescribe those people with severe allergies two Adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) when discharging patients from hospital, and patients should always carry two devices with them.
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Content ArticleThe latest figures from NHS Digital show the number of hospital episodes in England with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis increased from 5,497 in 2018-19 to 5,517 in 2019-20. Previous figures have shown the number of cases of children hospitalised with severe allergic reactions in England has increased by 72 per cent over the last six years. Overall, including adults, there has been a 34 per cent rise in admissions over the same period. Figures from 2019 reveal wide regional differences among children admitted to hospital with anaphylaxis. The health region with the highest increase is London where the number of cases has risen by 167% from 180 in 2013-14 to 480 in 2018-19. Among those ten and under, the increase is a staggering 200 per cent. Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF) has renewed its call for the Government to appoint an ‘Allergy Tsar’ to co-ordinate and take steps to make sure people with allergies get the treatment and care they need. NARF first called for the appointment of an ‘Allergy Tsar’ earlier this year following the inquest of Shante Turay-Thomas, 18, who died in 2018 from anaphylaxis after eating hazelnut.
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Prevention of Future Deaths report: Karanbir Cheema
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Coroner reports
On 28 June 2017, 13 year-old Karanbir Cheemer was at school when another pupil threw a small piece of cheese at him. He was known to be allergic to cheese and he went into anaphylactic shock. Karanbir later died. In this report, senior coroner ME Hassell, highlights a number of patient safety concerns relating to his death and calls for action to prevent future deaths. -
Content ArticleShanté Turay-Thomas, a young woman who had a nut allergy, died of an acute anaphylaxis after eating hazelnuts on 18 Spetember 2018. In this report, senior coroner ME Hassell, highlights 20 'matters of concern' surrounding her death and calls for action to be taken for future deaths to be prevented.
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Safety Alert: Allergens issues – food safety in the NHS
Claire Cox posted an article in Allergies
Recently there have been several incidents relating to allergens in hospital food reported. The consistent themes are lack of information and/or communication regarding food allergens present in the food and/or details of the patient’s known food allergy. This alert contains actions for providers to take. -
Content ArticleIt is hypothesized that 90% of antibiotic allergies documented in patients’ health records are not actual, potentially life threatening, type I allergies. This distinction is important because such documentation increases antibiotic resistance, as more second-choice and broad-spectrum antibiotics are then used. Evidence is lacking regarding causes of this inappropriate documentation. To develop interventions aimed at improving documentation, the authors of this study, published in the Annals of Family Medicine, explored experiences of family physicians and pharmacists in this area. They found that the professionals involved perceived that antibiotic allergy documentation is seldom accurate, which may contribute to development of antibiotic resistance, increased costs, and decreased patient safety.
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Content ArticleThe purpose of this study, published in the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, was to ascertain the views, beliefs and attitudes of hospital staff to incorrect penicillin allergy records in order to determine healthcare worker motivation for the implementation of a penicillin de-labelling antibiotic stewardship intervention at the study hospital. Findings showed that virtually all staff in this study, had encountered patients who believed themselves to be penicillin allergic, but felt the patient’s belief to be erroneous. Therefore, a penicillin allergy de-labelling intervention might be of benefit to ensure that patients who were not allergic were able to have the correct antibiotic.
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News Article
Shante Turay-Thomas: Human error factor in allergy death
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A teenager with a severe nut allergy died in part because of human error, a coroner has ruled. Shante Turay-Thomas, 18, had a severe reaction to eating a hazelnut. The inquest heard a series of failures meant that an ambulance took more than 40 minutes to arrive at her home in Wood Green, north London. Her mother Emma Turay, who said she felt "badly let down" by the NHS, wants an "allergy tsar" to be appointed to help prevent similar deaths. The inquest heard call staff for the NHS's 111 non-emergency number failed to appreciate the teenager's worsening condition was typical of a severe allergic reaction to nuts. A telephone recording of the 111 call, made by her mother, at 23:01 BST on Friday 14 September 2018, revealed how the 18-year-old could be heard in the background struggling to breathe. "My chest hurts, my throat is closing and I feel like I'm going to pass out," she said before asking her mother to check how long the ambulance would be, then adding: "I'm going to die." The inquest heard Ms Turay-Thomas had tried to use her auto-injector adrenaline pen, however it later emerged she had only injected a 300 microgram dose, rather than the 1,000 micrograms needed to stabilise her condition. It also emerged she was unaware of the need to use two shots for the most serious allergic reactions and had not received medical training after changing her medication delivery system from the EpiPen to a new Emerade device. The inquest at St Pancras Coroner's Court was told an ambulance that was on its way to the patient had been rerouted because the call was incorrectly categorised as requiring only a category two response, rather than the more serious category one. Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 January 2020 -
News Article
Allergy pens recalled after death of girl, 18
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
One of the main brands of adrenaline auto-injector pen, which can save lives during serious allergy attacks, is being recalled in the UK after the death of a teenager whose family say the product failed. Shante Turay-Thomas, 18, died in September last year after it is claimed that her adrenaline pen did not work although she tried it twice. She told her mother, “I’m going to die,” as she succumbed to an allergic reaction to hazelnuts. Her death was the subject of an inquest hearing last month, which resumes this week. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed this weekend that all batches of Emerade auto-injector had been recalled from pharmacies after an error was identified that can cause some pens to fail to activate. Between July and November, the agency said it had been made aware of 16 suspected activation failures. The agency said it was aware of two fatalities of patients reported to have used the pens but the fault had not been confirmed as a contributor to the deaths. Read full story Source: The Times, 8 December 2019 -
Content ArticleHealthcare professionals were made aware of alerts and letters issued about adrenaline auto-injectors in September and October 2019 by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This article provides a summary of recent advice issued to healthcare professionals, including information to provide to patients, to support safe use of adrenaline auto-injectors.
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Content Article
Making schools safer project
Claire Cox posted an article in Allergies
The Anaphylaxis Campaign is the only UK wide charity solely focused on supporting people at risk of severe allergic reactions.
