Specialised paediatric allergy, immunology and infectious disease

This is a Respond and Advise Clinical Reference Group (CRG).

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases of animals that can cause disease when transmitted to humans. Infectious diseases can cause of range of symptoms, which in some cases can be life threatening.

Primary immunodeficiencies are disorders in which part of the body’s immune system is missing or does not function properly. Patients with primary immunodeficiencies have an increased susceptibility to recurrent, severe and/or unusual infections, which may be in any body system. Patients die from infections if not treated or can have recurrent health problems and may develop serious and debilitating illness. Most primary immunodeficiencies are genetic disorders; the majority are diagnosed in young children, although milder forms may not be recognised until later childhood or adulthood.

Allergic disease is defined as an immune-mediated adverse event resulting from an externally-delivered agent. Allergy specialists deal with allergic reactions, particularly anaphylactic reactions to drugs, venoms and foods, as well as angioedema (swelling under the skin), hypereosinophilic disorders (conditions in which there is a marked increase in a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil), mastocytosis (where the presence of a type of white blood cell called a mast cell is increased) and severe urticaria (inflammatory swelling in the upper layer of the skin).

Scope

This clinical reference group covers:

  • Services for children and young people with confirmed severe or complex allergic disease, or where an allergic aetiology is suspected
  • Services for children and young people with potentially severe and life threatening primary immunodeficiencies
  • Services for children and young people with rare infectious diseases
  • Services for children and young people with disorders that may be impacted by infections.

Membership

  • Saul Faust, Clinical Lead for Specialised Paediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Disease

Products

A key part of the CRG’s work is the delivery of the ‘products’ of commissioning. These are the tools used by the 10 Hub Commissioning Teams to contract services on an annual basis.

Service specifications

Service specifications are important in clearly defining the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The specifications have been developed by specialised clinicians, commissioners, expert patients and public health representatives to describe both core and developmental service standards. Core standards are those that all funded providers should be able to demonstrate, with developmental standards being those which may require further changes in practice over time to provide excellence in the field.

The following service specifications fall within the scope of this CRG:

Get involved

If you are interested in the work of the specialised paediatric allergy, immunology and infectious disease CRG or its NPOC, you can register as a stakeholder.

For details on our latest consultations please visit the NHS England consultation hub.

Get in contact

For any questions or queries relating to the work of the specialised paediatric allergy, immunology and infectious disease CRG or its NPOC, please contact: england.npoc-womenandchildren@nhs.net