Innovate Dorset Ltd

    Allergy and Anaphylaxis Policy

    Table of Contents

    1. Introduction
    2. Roles and responsibilities
    3. Allergy action plans
    4. Emergency treatment and management of anaphylaxis
    5. Supply, storage and care of medication
    6. Staff training
    7. Inclusion and safeguarding
    8. Food
    9. Trips
    10. Allergy awareness and nut bans
    11. Risk assessment
    12. Useful links

    1.    Introduction

    An allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to substances that are usually harmless. The reaction can cause minor symptoms such as itching, sneezing or rashes but sometimes causes a much more severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

    Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. The whole body is affected often within minutes of exposure to the allergen, but sometimes it can be hours later. Causes can include foods, insect stings, and drugs.
     
    Most healthcare professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves difficulty breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure. Anaphylaxis symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
     
    It is possible to be allergic to anything which contains a protein, however most people will react to a fairly small group of potent allergens.
     
    Common UK Allergens include (but are not limited to):
    Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Sesame, Milk, Egg, Fish, Latex, Insect venom, Pollen and Animal Dander.
     
    This policy sets out how Innovate Dorset Ltd will support young people with allergies, to ensure they are safe and are not disadvantaged in any way whilst taking part in organisation life.
     

    2.    Role and Responsibilities

     
    Parent Responsibilities
    • On referral to the company, it is the parent’s responsibility to inform the manager of any allergies. This information should include all previous serious allergic reactions, history of anaphylaxis and details of all prescribed medication.
    • Parents are to supply a copy of their young person’s Allergy Action Plan (BSACI plans preferred) to the organisation. If they do not currently have an Allergy Action Plan this should be developed as soon as possible in collaboration with a healthcare professional.
    e.g. GP/allergy specialist.
    • Parents are responsible for ensuring any required medication is supplied, in date and replaced as necessary.
      • Parents are requested to keep the organisation up to date with any changes in allergy management. The Allergy Action Plan will be kept updated accordingly.
     Staff Responsibilities
    • All staff will complete anaphylaxis training. Training is provided for all staff  on a yearly basis and on an ad-hoc basis for any new members of staff.
    • Staff must be aware of the young people in their care who have known allergies as an allergic reaction could occur at any time and not just at mealtimes. Any food-related activities must be supervised with due caution.
    • Staff leading organisation trips will ensure they carry all relevant emergency supplies. Trip leaders will check that all young people with medical conditions, including allergies, carry their medication. Young people unable to produce their required medication will not be able to attend the excursion. 
      • Manager/First Aider will ensure that the up-to-date Allergy Action Plan is kept with the child’s medication.
      • Manager/First Aider keeps a register of children who have been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) and a record of use of any AAI(s) and emergency treatment given.
    Young Person Responsibilities
    • Young people attending Innovate Dorset Ltd are encouraged to have a good awareness of their symptoms and to let an adult know as soon as they suspect they are having an allergic reaction.
      • Young People who are trained and confident to administer their own AAIs will be encouraged to take responsibility for carrying them on their person at all times.

     3.    Allergy Action Plans 

    Allergy action plans are designed to provide medical and parental consent for organisations to administer medicines in the event of an allergic reaction, including consent to administer a spare adrenaline auto- injector.
     
    Organisations should not be devising their own allergy action plans but requiring parents to provide the plan created by the GP or allergy clinic.
     

    4.    Emergency Treatment and Management of Anaphylaxis

     
    What to look for:
    Symptoms usually come on quickly, within minutes of exposure to the allergen.  If symptoms do not come on quickly, the child must be monitored for a delayed reaction.  Additionally, they should not exercise for the remainder of the day unless medical advice has been sought and permission given.
     
    Mild to moderate allergic reaction symptoms may include:
    • a red raised rash (known as hives or urticaria) anywhere on the body
    • a tingling or itchy feeling in the mouth
    • swelling of lips, face or eyes
    • stomach pain or vomiting.
     More serious symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms and can include:
    • AIRWAY - swelling in the throat, tongue or upper airways (tightening of the throat, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing).
    • BREATHING - sudden onset wheezing, breathing difficulty, noisy breathing.
    • CIRCULATION - dizziness, feeling faint, sudden sleepiness, tiredness, confusion, pale clammy skin, loss of consciousness.
    The term for this more serious reaction is anaphylaxis. In extreme cases there could be a dramatic fall in blood pressure. The person may become weak and floppy and may have a sense of something terrible happening. This may lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal.
     
    If the young person has been exposed to something they are known to be allergic to, then it is more likely to be an anaphylactic reaction.

    Anaphylaxis can develop very rapidly, so treatment is needed that works rapidly.  Adrenaline is the mainstay of treatment, and it starts to work within seconds.
     
    What does adrenaline do?
    • It opens up the airways
    • It stops swelling
    • It raises the blood pressure
     As soon as anaphylaxis is suspected, adrenaline must be administered without delay. Action: 
    • Keep the child where they are, call for help and do not leave them unattended.
    • LIE CHILD FLAT WITH LEGS RAISED – they can be propped up if struggling to breathe but this should be for as short a time as possible.
    • USE ADRENALINE AUTO-INJECTOR WITHOUT DELAY and note the time given. AAIs should be given into the muscle in the outer thigh. Specific instructions vary by brand – always follow the instructions on the device.
    • CALL 999 and state ANAPHYLAXIS (ana-fil-axis).
    • If no improvement after 5 minutes, administer second AAI.
    • If no signs of life commence CPR.
    • Call parent/carer as soon as possible.

    Whilst you are waiting for the ambulance, keep the young person where they are. Do not stand them up, or sit them in a chair, even if they are feeling better. This could lower their blood pressure drastically, causing their heart to stop.
     
    All young people must go to hospital for observation after anaphylaxis even if they appear to have recovered as a reaction can reoccur after treatment.
     

    5.    Supply, storage and care of medication

    Depending on their level of understanding and competence, young people at Innovate Dorset will be encouraged to take responsibility for and to carry their own two AAIs on them at all times in a suitable bag/container {detail what this is i.e. red drawstring bag, consistency is urged across the organisation for ease of identification}.
     
    For younger children or those not ready to take responsibility for their own medication, there should be an anaphylaxis kit which is kept within 5 minutes of them, not locked away and accessible to all staff.
     
    Medication should be stored in a suitable container and clearly labelled with the child’s name. The child’s medication storage container should contain:
    • Two AAIs i.e. EpiPen® or Jext®
    • An up-to-date allergy action plan
    • Antihistamine as tablets or syrup (if included on allergy action plan)
    • Antihistamine as tablets or syrup (if included on allergy action plan)
    • Spoon if required
    • Asthma inhaler (if included on allergy action plan).
      
    It is the responsibility of the child’s parents to ensure that the anaphylaxis kit is up-to-date and clearly labelled.  The organisation should not require additional sets of medication to be left for them as the child should always have their medication with them.
     
    Older Children and Medication
    Older children and teenagers should, whenever possible, assume responsibility for their emergency kit under the guidance of their parents and organisation staff. However, symptoms of anaphylaxis can come on very suddenly, so organisation staff need to be prepared to administer medication if the young person cannot.
     
    Storage
    AAIs should be stored at room temperature, protected from direct sunlight and temperature extremes both hot and cold.
     
    Disposal
    AAIs are single use only and must be disposed of as sharps. Used AAIs can be given to ambulance paramedics on arrival or can be disposed of in a pre-ordered sharps bin. Sharps bins to be obtained from and disposed of by a clinical waste contractor/specialist collection service/local authority (delete as appropriate). 
     

    6.    Staff Training

     
    The named staff members (at least 2) responsible for coordinating staff anaphylaxis training and the upkeep of the organisation’s anaphylaxis policy are:
     
    Poppy Howens-Cake 
    Elizabeth Poppitt
     
    All staff will complete allergy and anaphylaxis training annually, and on an ad-hoc basis during the induction of new staff.
     
    Training includes:
    • Knowing the common allergens and triggers of allergy
    • Spotting the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis. Early recognition of symptoms is key, including knowing when to call for emergency services
    • Administering emergency treatment (including AAIs) in the event of anaphylaxis – knowing how and when to administer the medication/device
    • Measures to reduce the risk of a child having an allergic reaction e.g. allergen avoidance, knowing who is responsible for what
    • Managing allergy action plans and ensuring these are up to date
    • A practical session using trainer devices (these can be obtained from the manufacturers’ websites: epipen.co.uk and jext.co.uk 
     

    7.    Inclusion and safeguarding

    Innovate Dorset Ltd is committed to ensuring that all young people with medical conditions, including allergies, in terms of both physical and mental health, are properly supported in organisation so that they can play a full and active role in organisation life, remain healthy and achieve their full potential within the organisation.
     

     8.    Food

    The company needs to comply with legislation if it ever, even on a single occasion, provides food for its participants.
     
    All food businesses must follow the Food Information Regulations 2014 which states that allergen information relating to the ‘Top 14’ allergens must be available for all food products.   This means that when purchasing food the organisation is able to check the allergens before purchasing.   Parents/Carers will be helpful in sharing what they are able to purchase when asked. This will make the provision of food much easier.
     
    Should the company be planning food activities, days out or celebratory events then the designated leader should meet with parents/carers at the earliest opportunity to discuss risks and control measures that will keep the child safe.
     
    Unlabelled food poses significant risk of reaction and must never be given to children with allergies; for example, sweets brought into share with the group.
     
    The organisation adheres to the following Department of Health guidance recommendations:
     
    • Bottles, other drinks and lunch boxes provided by parents for children with food allergies should be clearly labelled with the name of the child for whom they are intended.
    • If food is purchased from the organisation canteen/tuck shop, parents should check the appropriateness of foods by speaking directly to the catering manager.
    • The young person should be taught to also check with staff, before purchasing or eating food. 
    • Where food is provided by the organisation, staff should be educated about how to read labels for food allergens and instructed about measures to prevent cross contamination during the handling, preparation and serving of food. Examples include: preparing food for children with food allergies first; careful cleaning (using warm soapy water) of food preparation areas and utensils. For further information, parents/carers are encouraged to liaise with the Line Manager.
    • Food should not be given to food-allergic young people  without parental permission (e.g. parties, food treats).
    • Use of food in crafts, cooking, science experiments and special events (e.g. celebrations, cultural events) needs to be considered and may need to be restricted/risk assessed depending on the allergies of particular young people and their age.
      

    9.    Organisation trips

    Staff leading trips will ensure they carry all relevant emergency supplies. Trip leaders will check that all children with medical conditions, including allergies, carry their medication. Young people unable to produce their required medication will not be able to attend the excursion.
     
    All the activities on the trip will be risk assessed to see if they pose a threat to allergic young people  and alternative activities planned to ensure inclusion.  Also refer to the Off-Site Activities Policy & Procedure.
     

    10.    Allergy awareness and nut bans

    Innovate Dorset Ltd supports the approach advocated by Anaphylaxis UK towards nut bans/nut free organisations.  They would not necessarily support a blanket ban on any particular allergen in any establishment, including in organisations. This is because nuts are only one of many allergens that could affect young people, and no organisation could guarantee a truly allergen free environment for a young person living with food allergy. They advocate instead for organisations to adopt a culture of allergy awareness and education.
     
    A 'whole organisation awareness of allergies' is a much better approach, as it ensures staff and young people are aware of what allergies are, the importance of avoiding the young person’s allergens, the signs & symptoms, how to deal with allergic reactions and to ensure policies and procedures are in place to minimise risk.
     

    11.    Risk Assessment

    Innovate Dorset Ltd will conduct a detailed individual risk assessment for all new young people joining with allergies and any new young person newly diagnosed, to help identify any gaps in systems and processes for keeping allergic children safe.
     
    Organisation and individual risk assessments can be downloaded for free from: anaphylaxis.org.uk/downloads-form/safer-schools-... 
     

    12.    Useful Links 

    Anaphylaxis UK - anaphylaxis.org.uk/ 
    BSACI Allergy Action Plans - bsaci.org/professional-resources/resources/paediatric-allergy-...
     
    Food allergy quality standards (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, March 2016) nice.org.uk/guidance/qs118 
     
    Anaphylaxis: assessment and referral after emergency treatment (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2020) nice.org.uk/guidance/cg134?unlid=22904150...


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    CONTROL SHEET
         		Version Number: 1
         		Author: E Poppitt/Adaption of Anaphylaxis UK Template for Innovate Dorset Ltd
    Allergy Policy

         		Status of policy: Approved
    Approved by: Kevin Tatchell
         		Approval Date: September 2026
    A close up of a sign AI-generated content may be incorrect.Next Review Date: September 2027