People with allergies often feel let down by NHS services with patient groups expected to make up shortfalls, according to a government report.

Allergies cost the NHS more than 1 billion pounds a year, and in its response to the report, the government said it would consider commissioning NICE guidelines on the topic.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services Ivan Lewis said in the foreword to the review that "it has heard that people with allergies often feel let down by a poor and frequently unobtainable service".

"For those living with allergy severe enough to require specialist care, the lack of allergy services is a problem which can greatly affect their quality of life.

"It is difficult to establish objective, compelling scientific evidence of need and the quality of services, because of a lack of research," he added.

The report,' A review of services for allergy', followed an inquiry last year by the House of Commons Health Committee into the provision of allergy services.

The report reveals some particular gaps in the knowledge and skills of clinical staff that deal with allergy - particularly in diagnostics - and in the planning and commissioning of allergy services.

Following its publication,the government will investigate levels of local need for allergy services in health communities. It will find out if allergist training places can be expanded and will also consider developing NICE guidelines for allergy.

Around a third of the UK population develop an allergy at some point in their lives and about three million people will be seen in primary care with conditions that may be brought on by allergies.

Around 72 million community prescriptions were dispensed for allergic conditions in England in 2004 at a cost of 900 million pounds, or 11% of the total drugs' budget.

The majority of this cost is for asthma, which alone accounts for nearly 700 million pounds - more than 8% of the total budget.

pharmafocus@wiley.co.uk