UK’S FIRST SPECIALIST ALLERGY HOSPITAL LAUNCHES APP TO GIVE FAMILIES DIRECT ACCESS TO EXPERT SUPPORT

ALLERGY ASSIST SETS NEW STANDARD FOR CONTINUOUS ALLERGY CARE IN THE UK

The Allergy Centre of Excellence (ACE), the UK’s first specialist allergy hospital founded by Professors Gideon Lack, George Du Toit and Adam Fox, has launched a new digital support service designed to help families manage the daily challenges of allergies, asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis.

Called Allergy Assist, the app-based platform provides patients with direct access to specialist allergy nurses, virtual consultations, educational resources and personalised support between clinic appointments.

The launch reflects growing demand for more continuous, accessible healthcare support as families increasingly seek expert guidance beyond traditional face-to-face consultations.

Filling The Gap Between Appointments

For many families living with allergic conditions, specialist appointments may only occur a few times a year, while the practical realities of managing allergies are a daily concern.

Unexpected reactions, eczema flare-ups, school-related challenges, medication questions and food-related anxieties often leave parents carrying significant responsibility for complex healthcare decisions.

According to Hannah Kramer, Clinical Nurse Specialist at ACE, the new service was developed specifically in response to those concerns.

Hannah Kramer said: “Through conversations with the families we support, it became clear that many feel the burden of managing the day-to-day realities of allergic conditions. While patients may see their consultant only a few times a year, allergies are a constant presence—bringing unexpected reactions, eczema flares, medication questions and challenges at school.

“Many parents find themselves having to become experts, carrying the weight of decisions alone. Allergy Assist was created to share that burden. With access to specialist nurses at the touch of a button, and the reassurance that those nurses are supported by a wider team, including our professors, psychologist and dietitian, it’s like having a world-class allergy team in your pocket.”

A New Model Of Allergy Care

The platform introduces what ACE describes as a new category of allergy care in the UK: continuous app-based clinical support designed to complement traditional consultant-led treatment.

Available exclusively to patients of ACE or those under the care of Professor Lack, Professor Du Toit or Professor Fox, the service offers ongoing access to specialist advice whenever it is needed.

Patients not currently under the care of the clinic can still access the platform following an initial consultation with one of the allergy specialists.

Hannah Kramer said: “If you’re not already a patient of the clinic or our professors, you can still join Allergy Assist, but you’d need to have a virtual or face-to-face appointment with one of our professors first. This enables you to share your history and past clinic letters and results from your NHS or other practice.”

Education And Support Beyond The Clinic

In addition to clinical consultations, Allergy Assist includes a comprehensive library of educational materials designed to improve understanding and confidence around allergy management.

The resource hub contains more than 25 clinically reviewed information leaflets and 17 educational and instructional videos covering a wide range of allergy-related topics.

Hannah Kramer said: “As well as being able to view your allergy action plan and book virtual consultations, the app also provides a dedicated library of expert-created educational resources to enhance and support your child’s care whenever you need it.

“Our resource library includes 25 clinically reviewed information leaflets and 17 instructional and educational videos. All materials are free to access in the Allergy Assist app and are designed to make managing allergic conditions easier and more understandable.”

Supporting Families Through Everyday Challenges

The service has been designed to provide guidance across a broad range of everyday situations that families frequently encounter.

Support includes weaning advice, preparing children for school, travelling safely with allergies, eating out, managing asthma symptoms, controlling eczema flare-ups and understanding allergy test results.

The platform also provides support for immunotherapy treatments, adrenaline prescriptions, accidental allergic reaction reviews and hay fever management.

Importantly, the service extends beyond physical symptoms.

Families will also have access to virtual group support sessions led by psychologist Dr Karen Murphy, providing opportunities to discuss the emotional and psychological challenges associated with managing chronic allergic conditions.

A Patient-Centred Approach

ACE says the platform has been shaped directly by the needs and feedback of patients and their families.

Hannah Kramer said: “At the Allergy Centre of Excellence, our mission is to provide the best possible care to all of our patients. We strive to ensure that all our patients receive patient-centred, effective and responsive care to serve their individual needs.

“We are committed to providing the highest safety standards, supported by clinicians who are renowned in the field of allergy. This Allergy Assist service has been built by meeting with families and asking them what it should offer. That’s something we are very proud of.”

Early patient feedback suggests the model is already making a meaningful difference.

One parent whose 12-year-old child uses the service described the experience as transformative.

The parent said: “Speaking to Nurse Specialist Rebecca today felt like a much-needed chat with a friend. Rebecca was kind, sympathetic and understood deeply what allergy families feel.

“We’ve got a plan in place that feels just right for us. Both my husband and I could have cried with joy. The support felt surreal. The psychological support as well as the clinical science input is a formula that’s been missing in our lives so far. You guys have made it happen. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We needed this.”