The RCPCH care pathway for children with venom allergies: an evidence and consensus based national approach

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Science & Research Department was commissioned by the Department of Health to develop national care pathways for children with allergies; the venom allergy pathway is the seventh pathway. The pathways focus on defining the competences to improve the equity of care received by children with allergic conditions.

The RCPCH venom allergy pathway was developed by a multidisciplinary working group and was based on a comprehensive review of evidence. The pathway was reviewed by a broad group of stakeholders including the public and approved by the Allergy Care Pathways Project Board and the RCPCH Clinical Standards Committee.

The pathway results are presented in four parts: evidence review, mapping, external review and core knowledge documents. The entry points are defined and the ideal pathway of care is described from self-care through to follow-up. The evidence highlighted that venom immunotherapy is safe and effective for bee and wasp allergy and that there are real quality of life benefits for patients. The review also highlighted the value of measuring serum tryptase after reactions.

The venom allergy pathway provides a guide for training and development of services to facilitate improvements in delivery as close to the patient's home as possible. The authors recommend that this pathway should be implemented locally by a multidisciplinary team with a focus on creating networks between primary, secondary and tertiary care to improve services for children with allergic conditions.