Pharmacy Allergy Screening Service At Hampton Court Flower Show

Main Category: Allergy
Article Date: 01 Jul 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Allergy UK are offering the community pharmacy allergy screening service to members of the public attending the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show from 7 July to 12 July.

Representatives from the NPA and Allergy UK will be at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show answering people's questions on allergy and arranging appointments for allergy screening with a pharmacist. In the afternoon a pharmacist will be offering the allergy screening service on the stand.

John Turk, NPA Chief Executive said:

"1 In 3 people will suffer from an allergy at some time in their life. Allergies such as hayfever and those that cause skin rashes can be particularly troublesome for keen gardeners. People looking for help with allergies often find services are few and far between, indeed there are only 6 specialist centres in the UK.

The community pharmacy allergy screening service can help identify the root cause of allergies and the specially trained pharmacists involved can advise on how to relieve symptoms.

We are delighted to be able to offer people attending Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this service and will have information available on the local availability too."

Jules Payne, Deputy Chief Executive, Allergy UK said:

"We are excited to be present at Hampton Court and hope to speak to and help a lot of people. We are delighted the Allergy UK pharmacist accredited Allergy Screening Service is proving successful, this means pharmacists can deliver a much needed service close to home."

Mandy Almond, Show Manager of Hampton Court Palace Flower Show said:

"It is great that NPA and Allergy UK will be at Hampton this year, with so many people suffering from allergies and hayfever, they provide a great service to our gardeners."

Members of the public can find their nearest pharmacy offering the allergy screening service by logging onto www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk and using the postcode search tool or through the Allergy UK website http://www.allergyuk.org or via the Allergy UK helpline - 01322 619898.

Notes

The National Pharmacy Association/Allergy UK stand is at site location A103 near the Catwalk in Bloom Exhibition.

Why do people develop allergies?

There's still a lot to learn but it seems allergies develop because of a mixture of inherited and environmental factors. Some people inherit a tendency to allergies therefore their body is more easily triggered into making the allergy antibody IgE when they come in contact with common substances. These people are said to be atopic.

The way in which a person is first exposed to an allergen and their genetic predisposition contributes to whether or not they'll become allergic.

Environmental factors, such as pollution and cigarette smoke, can increase the risk, while other factors such as frequent colds or exposure to dirt in early life may protect against allergy.

How many people have an allergy?

Allergy is extremely widespread and affects one in three of the population in the UK at some time in their life, there are many more undiagnosed or self diagnosed. Each year the numbers are increasing by approximately 5% (statistics from Allergy UK).

What medicines are available to treat allergies?

Pharmacies supply a range of medicines to help with the symptoms of allergy. These include antihistamines which help with sneezing and itching as well as products such as eye drops for specific symptoms.

What is the most common allergy people have?

There isn't a specific allergy that is more common than another. However there are a range of allergens that may trigger an allergic response. This includes pollen from trees and grasses, house dust mite, moulds, pets such as cats and dogs, insects like wasps and bees, industrial and household chemicals, medicines, and foods such as milk and eggs.

Source
National Pharmacy Association (NPA)