§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken since May 1994 to ensure that all general practitioners in England and Wales make it a rule to refer patients with nut allergy to a specialist allergy clinic. [41135]
§ Mr. SackvilleThe chief medical officer's update No. 2, which was sent to all doctors in May 1994, included advice on the management of peanut anaphylaxis. In October 1994, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists jointly produced guidelines on good allergy practice and standards of care for providers and purchasers of allergy services within the NHS. The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional clinical judgment.
§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths from peanut allergy have been recorded in the past 12 months. [41134]
§ Mr. SackvilleThere were two deaths in 1994—the latest year for which data are available—in which the cause of death was stated as an allergic reaction to nuts.
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has no record of any specific mention of peanuts appearing on any death certificate during this period.
618W