What is an Adrenaline Auto-Injector?

An adrenaline auto-injector – also known as an AAI or an adrenaline pen – is prescribed to anyone with an allergy who is at risk of having a severe, acute allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. The AAI contains a dose of adrenaline (also referred to as epinephrine) that helps to alleviate the symptoms of anaphylaxis once injected.

Anaphylaxis is the name given to a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention. When the body goes into anaphylactic shock after contact with an allergen, the immune system quickly overreacts and causes swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing and even unconsciousness. Common allergens are certain foods, medicines, insect stings and bites.

An adrenaline auto-injector is used to treat anaphylaxis. Once injected, the dose of adrenaline inside the AAI helps to quickly reopen the airways, reduce swelling and maintain blood pressure. It takes just minutes for the AAI to be effective.

If you or someone you know has been prescribed an adrenaline pen, then it’s important that you carry it with you at all times, as you never know when you might need it. Always check that your AAI is in-date and never rely on someone else having one available.

Types of Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

In the UK, adrenaline auto-injectors are prescription-only medicines, prescribed by a GP or allergy specialist. The dose of adrenaline inside the injector will depend on the age and weight of the person who needs the device and will be determined by the healthcare professional.

There are two main types of adrenaline auto-injectors available in the UK which we will cover in this article:

1. EpiPen (or EpiPen Junior).
2. Jext.

How to Use an Adrenaline Auto-Injector

If someone is experiencing the symptoms of anaphylaxis, you should immediately call for an ambulance and let them know the person is having an anaphylactic shock. Whilst you wait for medical assistance to arrive, help the person to lie down with their legs raised, then administer their AAI if they’re unable to do it themselves. 

You do not need to remove clothing in order for the adrenaline pen to be used, as the needle will penetrate all types of fabrics.

The instructions below will help you understand how to use an adrenaline auto-injector, whether it’s an EpiPen or Jext. You can also search for the manufacturers online and order a ‘trainer device’ that you can practice with at home.

How to use an EpiPen

There are some key steps to follow in order to use an EpiPen correctly:

1. Hold the EpiPen tightly and pull off the blue safety cap straight upwards.
2. Position the EpiPen horizontally, and hold the orange tip approximately 10 cm from their outer thigh.
3. Whilst keeping it horizontal, jab the EpiPen firmly into the outer thigh until you hear a click, and hold it in place for 3 seconds.
4. Remove the EpiPen. As you do, the orange tip will extend to cover the needle.
5. If prescribed and symptoms don’t improve, a second injection can be given after 5-15 minutes.

How to Use a Jext Pen

The following Jext pen instructions will help you to use the device correctly:

1. Hold the Jext securely and pull off the yellow safety cap.
2. Position the Jext horizontally, with the black end against the outer thigh.
3. Whilst holding the Jext horizontally, push the black end firmly into the thigh until you hear a click, and hold it in place for 10 seconds.
4. Remove the Jext. As you do, the black tip will extend to cover the needle. Massage the injected area for 10 seconds.
5. If prescribed and symptoms don’t improve, a second injection can be given after 5-15 minutes.

How to Store Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

The following safety tips will help you to store and manage your adrenaline auto-injectors correctly:

• Store unused adrenaline auto-injectors in a cool, dark place. Keep them out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
• Don’t lock AAIs away or store them in hard-to-reach places, but do keep away from small children.
• Avoid leaving your AAIs in the car on a hot day or a freezing cold day, as the extremes in temperature can affect the effectiveness of the medicine.
• AAIs are made to be disposable and should only ever be used once.
• To dispose of a used AAI safely, give them to a healthcare professional who can discard them properly or use a dedicated sharps bin.
• Regularly check the expiry dates on your unused AAIs and ensure you order a replacement device well ahead of its expiry.
• Never use an AAI past its expiry date as it’s unlikely to be effective.
• Carry two, in-date AAIs on you at all times in case your body doesn’t respond to the first dose of adrenaline and a second injection is required.

If you or someone you know is at risk of experiencing anaphylaxis, then knowing how to use an adrenaline auto-injector could be life-saving knowledge. Whether you have an EpiPen, Jext, or other type of AAI, it’s important to store and use your auto-injector correctly in order for it to be effective, and remember to carry at least two, in-date AAIs on you at all times.

Further Resources:

• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to Food
• How to Manage Anaphylaxis in Children
• Free 14 Allergens Poster

The post Guidance on Adrenaline Auto-Injectors appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is the name given to a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction. If a child in your care is experiencing anaphylaxis, then call for an ambulance on 999 before beginning to treat them, as it can quickly worsen without medical attention.

Fortunately, anaphylaxis is not too common but it can be triggered by any type of allergen, even if it seems harmless. When the body comes into contact with something it’s allergic to – whether that’s a food, medicine or insect bite – then the immune system springs into action and tries to fight off the mistaken threat. This overreaction by the immune system is sometimes referred to as an anaphylactic shock.

Anaphylaxis can affect people of all ages, including children and infants, but it’s most common as a comorbidity, i.e. the person also has another allergy-related condition, such as asthma or eczema.

It’s also important to note that anaphylaxis can occur immediately after contact with an allergen but it can also take several hours before symptoms begin.

Anaphylaxis Vs Anaphylactic

There are a few important definitions to understand surrounding the terminology related to allergies:

• Anaphylaxis is the name of the condition whereby the body’s immune system has a severe overreaction to an allergen. 
• An anaphylactic reaction is the name given to the reaction the body has when it comes into contact with an allergen.
• Biphasic anaphylaxis is the name given to a secondary allergic reaction after treatment for anaphylaxis has been given, without any further exposure to the allergen. A biphasic anaphylactic reaction usually happens around 10 hours after the first attack.
• An allergic reaction is the name given to a less severe reaction to an allergen. The symptoms of an allergic reaction are usually milder than those of anaphylaxis and, whilst uncomfortable, are not often life-threatening.

Causes of Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis in children can be triggered by any type of allergen. Sometimes the allergen is obvious but sometimes it’s unknown what has caused the anaphylactic reaction, especially with younger infants who cannot tell you what’s wrong.

The most common causes of allergic reactions in children are:

• Food – there are 14 named food allergens to be aware of, including nuts, peanuts, dairy, fish, gluten and soya. Peanut allergies are particularly common amongst young children.

• Medicines – including antibiotics like penicillin and anesthetics.
• Insects – including stings from wasps and bees or bites from mosquitoes or ants.
• Latex – a type of rubber found in disposable gloves, balloons, elastic, some nappies and teething toys.

To help reduce the causes of anaphylaxis in your setting or home, follow the tips below:

• Always check food ingredients lists carefully if you have a child in your care with a known food allergy.
• Keep in mind that some foods can contain traces of allergens, so be vigilant and don’t assume it’ll be ok.
• If you go out to eat or buy snacks on the go, let staff know about the food allergy so they can take measures to avoid the specific ingredient.
• Be aware of the risk of cross-contamination causing anaphylaxis, as the child doesn’t even have to come into direct contact with their allergen to have a reaction.
• If you come across stinging or biting insects, move away from them slowly and avoid swatting them or disturbing them, as this could trigger a sting or bite.
• When playing outside, particularly in summer, use an insect repellent suitable for children.
• Ensure all members of staff that work with children are aware of specific children’s allergies and what they need to avoid.

Looking to Learn More?

For school staff, knowing how to recognise allergies and anaphylaxis, prevent allergic reactions from happening and take care of children with allergies is essential. Our Allergy & Anaphylaxis Training for Schools will teach you all you need to know about this important subject.

Signs of Anaphylaxis in Children

Symptoms of anaphylaxis can develop very quickly after a child has had contact with something they’re allergic to. Common signs of anaphylaxis in children to look out for include:

• Difficulty breathing, fast breathing, noisy breathing.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• A swollen tongue, throat, lips, eyes, hands or feet.
• Wheezing and coughing.
• An itchy, red, swollen and/or raised rash.
• Feeling tired, confused, faint or dizzy.
• Going limp, floppy or unresponsive.
• Fussiness or inconsolable crying amongst infants.
• Excessive drooling in babies.
• A fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Cold skin, pale skin or blue/grey skin, often on the lips or tongue
• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting.
• Collapse and unconsciousness.

How to Treat Anaphylaxis

In all cases, an ambulance must be called or the child must be taken to hospital if they are experiencing anaphylaxis. To treat anaphylaxis, the hospital will then give the child adrenaline via an injection or drip, oxygen or fluids via a drip.

Whilst waiting for an ambulance to arrive, follow these steps to help a child experiencing an anaphylactic reaction:

1. If the child has an auto-injector (like an EpiPen), then use that immediately by following the instructions on the injector.
2. Lie the child down with their legs raised to help blood flow back to the heart.
3. If the child is struggling to breathe, help them to sit up slowly for a minute and then lay them back down again. Avoid sudden changes in position and don’t allow the child to stand up, as this could lower their blood pressure.

Find out more vital information on using an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) in our article: Guidance on Adrenaline Auto-Injectors.

As someone who works with or cares for children and infants, it’s essential that you recognise the causes of anaphylaxis in children and the signs of anaphylaxis in children, as well as how to treat anaphylaxis should it happen. Severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening, so knowing how to respond appropriately and manage the condition is vital.

Further Resources:

• Allergy & Anaphylaxis Training for Schools
• Food Allergy Awareness Posters for Schools
• Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to Food
• Guidance on Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

The post How to Manage Anaphylaxis in Children appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

What is Healthwashing?

Healthwashing is when a food manufacturer uses certain terms to describe its food products in order to make them sound healthier and more nutritional than they actually are.

Healthwashing terms are often those without legal definitions that food manufacturers can use at their own discretion and are usually based on health, nutrition or medicinal claims about the food. For example, stating that a food product is ‘100% natural’, ‘reduced fat’ or ‘high in fibre’. More examples of healthwashing labels are listed later in this article.

On the surface, healthwashing seems to be positive, as it helps consumers identify products that are better for them. However, on closer inspection, healthwashing is often a harmful practice. This is because these terms aren’t always an accurate representation of the food product and can lead consumers to believe the product is something it isn’t.

Manufacturers can also use healthwashing labels to ‘hide’ the unhealthy aspects of the food product in order to sell more. For example, many breakfast cereals are labelled as being ‘100% wholegrain’, ‘low calorie’ or ‘a great source of vitamins’ when, in actual fact, they are high in sugar, salt and artificial ingredients that do more harm than good.

A similar practice to healthwashing is greenwashing, whereby manufacturers use claims to suggest their products are better for the environment than they actually are. Sometimes, a food product may carry labels that are examples of both healthwashing and greenwashing at the same time.

Types of Healthwashing

Healthwashing terms usually fall into one of three categories based on the type of healthwashing claim: health, nutritional or medicinal.

• Health claims – health claims suggest that a food product will lead to a healthier lifestyle if consumed. For example, you might see a label that reads ‘made with all natural ingredients’, ‘high in protein’ or ‘contributes towards a healthy diet’.
• Nutritional claims – nutritional claims suggest that a food product is a healthy choice for the consumer, as it contains higher or lower than normal levels of vitamins, minerals or specific ingredients. For example, a label saying ‘low in sugar’, ‘high in vitamin D’ or ‘free from preservatives’.
• Medicinal claims – medicinal claims suggest that a food product will improve a person’s physical health if they consume it. For example, you might see a label saying ‘helps improve heart health’, ‘keeps bones strong’ or ‘reduces cholesterol’.

Examples of Healthwashing

Take a look at any food product in the supermarket and you’ll see a variety of healthwashing claims. All types of foods may carry healthwashing labels but some products are more common than others.

A common example of healthwashing is seen on soft drinks. These products are sometimes labelled as ‘zero calorie’ ‘calorie free; or ‘zero sugar’ when, in reality, only pure water can be free from calories and sweeteners are often used instead of sugar. All soft drinks contain ingredients that are bad for health, despite what the label says, and especially if they use chemical substitutes for sugar or artificial flavours.

Another common example of healthwashing is breakfast cereals. These products are often covered in healthwashing claims, such as ‘high fibre’, ‘source of vitamins’, ‘low in sugar’, ‘natural’ and ‘gluten free’. Whilst these labels might be true, the reality is that these claims are not based on the main ingredients of the cereal. Take a look at the back of the box and you’ll find plenty of sugar, additives, sweeteners and preservatives that make the product much worse for your health than the labels suggest.

How to Identify Healthwashing Products

Many healthwashing terms don’t have legal definitions, so food and drink manufacturers can use them on any product without having to back up the claims. This is particularly true of labels like ‘natural’ and ‘healthy choice’, which don’t really have a definition at all.

Note that in the UK, food labelling regulations mean that terms such as ‘low fat’, ‘low sugar’ and ‘low salt’ have legal definitions that the product must comply with in order to display the claim.

To identify healthwashing products, take a look for the following terms on the item’s packaging. Whilst this list is long, these are just a few examples of healthwashing claims and there are many more than are listed here:

• 100% natural
• 100% wholegrain
• Baked not fried
• Cholesterol free 
• Dairy free
• Fat free
• Fewer calories
• Fortified with vitamins 
• Free from artificial colours
• Free from artificial flavours
• Free from preservations
• Gluten free
• Healthy choice
• High in protein
• Keeps the heart healthy
• Keeps bones strong
• Low calorie
• Low in cholesterol
• Low in salt
• Low sodium
• Low sugar
• Low fat
• Made with all natural ingredients
• Made with real fruit
• Made with real ingredients
• Natural
• No added sugar
• No added nasties
• Organic
• Plant-based
• Provides your recommended daily amount
• Reduced fat
• Reduces cholesterol
• Source of fibre 
• Source of probiotics 
• Source of essential vitamins
• Sugar free
• Supports a healthy diet/lifestyle
• Vegan/vegetarian
• Zero calories

Find out more about vegan food labelling with our article: Vegan Food Products: What are the Labelling Requirements?

Tips for Businesses on How to Avoid Healthwashing

All food manufacturers have a responsibility to not mislead their customers and must act responsibly when it comes to health and nutritional claims. Whilst there aren’t many rules about the labels that can and can’t be used, manufacturers still have a moral responsibility and should act with the best interests of consumers in mind.

As a manufacturer, ensure you are following all UK/EU food labelling regulations and are using the right labels in the right places, otherwise you’re at risk of breaking the law and may find your company subject to expensive legal action. Correct food labelling is especially important when it comes to food allergens, and food products must never make ‘allergen free’ or ‘may contain’ claims without being able to back this up.

Furthermore, if you are a food or drink manufacturer wanting to label a food product as providing a benefit to the consumer’s health, then EU regulations state that your claim must be supported by scientific evidence. For example, you cannot state that a product ‘supports normal metabolism’ without having the product tested and assessed scientifically.

As a consumer, you can make considered choices and avoid healthwashing by:

• Buying fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains (whole foods).
• Avoiding ultra-processed foods, which often contain many unhealthy ingredients.
• Paying attention to the ingredients lists on food products – the shorter the list, the healthier the product.
• Not instantly believing a health claim to be true. Always check the nutritional information and ingredients list of a food product to make a fully informed decision.

Healthwashing is common practice of many food manufacturers but is something consumers must be wary of. The health claims and nutritional claims made on food packaging are usually only part of the story and it’s important to consider the product as a whole, considering the overall nutritional content and ingredients list, in order to make a truly informed choice about what you’re eating.

Further Resources:

• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Manufacturing
• Why is Food Labelling Important?
• What Are Ultra-Processed Foods and How Do We Recognise Them?
• Guidance on Food Additives Legislation for the UK and EU
• Clean Label Packaging & Food Trends

The post What is Healthwashing in the Food Manufacturing Industry? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Although the term ‘vegan’ is relatively new and was defined as late as the 1940s, the popularity of this lifestyle has significantly grown in recent years. The number of people following a vegan diet has seen an increase of 300% between 2006 and 2018. Presently, it is estimated that between 2-3% of the UK population follows a vegan lifestyle. Interestingly it’s not just vegans who purchase vegan products. Research suggests that 1 in 5 UK shoppers buy food labelled as vegan or plant-based at least once a week.

The general perception of vegan food is that it does not contain any animal-derived ingredients such as eggs and milk, that are also allergens. However, despite its increasing popularity there is still no legal definition for vegan food. Consequently, products labelled as vegan can still contain ingredients derived from animals.

High Speed Training is a leading online course provider, recognised for its training on food safety and allergen awareness. This report aims to shed light on perceptions regarding what should or should not be included in vegan food and to understand the level of confidence in existing food testing methods. Additionally it aims to raise awareness about the absence of a definition for vegan food and how this could potentially pose risks to people with food allergies due to widespread misunderstanding.

Overview of YouGov Survey

Conducted in January 2024 the YouGov survey, commissioned by High Speed Training, provides insights into opinions and misconceptions surrounding vegan food and its relation to food allergies. This survey plays a role in our report as we explore the need for a clear legal definition of vegan food.

The survey involved 2,187 participants from demographics across the United Kingdom. The participant breakdown was diverse consisting of 48% male and 52% female respondents spanning the following age groups.

• 11% aged 18-24 years
• 16% aged 25-34 years
• 18% aged 35-44 years
• 17% aged 45-54 years
• 38% aged 55+ years

The first question of our survey asked participants whether they identified as vegan and if they had any allergies to milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs. This question plays an important role in understanding the number of people who might be at risk due to misconceptions about allergens in vegan food.

In question two we explored each participant’s understanding of what they believe qualifies as vegan food and whether they expected animal-derived ingredients such as milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs to be present in vegan food. The responses to this question help paint a picture of how the UK population comprehends the allergy risks associated with vegan food due to the absence of a legal definition.

The third question assessed confidence in methods used for testing food. People’s answers provided insights into their level of trust regarding whether the food they consume matches its description. Finally, the fourth question directly asked participants if they believed having a definition for vegan food was necessary. This question is crucial for our report because it reflects the public’s opinion on establishing a definition of vegan food.

In general, the data from our YouGov survey provides insights into how the public perceives and understands vegan food and its relationship with food allergies. The findings will contribute to our report on the necessity of having a definition for vegan food and improved testing in the food supply chain.

Analysis of Survey Results

Public Perception of Vegan Food

Based on our YouGov survey results 72% of all participants believe that vegan food does not contain any ingredients derived from animals, making it safe for individuals with allergies to allergens such as milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs. This belief was consistent across groups including vegans, non-vegans and people with food allergies. Focusing specifically on participants with food allergies, the percentage increased to 75% indicating that they also perceive vegan food as safe for consumption if you are allergic to animal-derived allergens, which is concerning to see. Looking just at the responses from vegans (with and without allergies) there is a better understanding but still a high number, 64%, believe that vegan food would not contain ingredients derived from animals.

Survey participants were asked. Which ONE, if any, of the following statements do you agree with?

• Vegan food can contain animal-derived ingredients (such as milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs) and may be unsafe for people who are allergic to those ingredients.
• Vegan food does not contain animal-derived ingredients (such as milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs) and is safe for people who are allergic to those ingredients.
• Don’t know.

Only 8% (about 1 in 12 people) of all survey participants recognised the potential risk of allergen contamination in vegan food. Among vegans (with and without allergies), this awareness was higher at 33% indicating some level of understanding within the vegan community. However, it is surprising that just one out of three vegans are aware.

These responses highlight a concerning misconception. While the term ‘vegan’ generally implies that products do not contain ingredients sourced from animals, the reality of food manufacturing processes can lead to the presence of allergens in vegan products. For instance, cross-contamination or shared production facilities can potentially result in trace amounts of milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans or molluscs being found in vegan foods.

This lack of awareness has implications. For the consumer, it may lead to misguided choices, particularly for those who seek to avoid animal products due to ethical or environmental reasons. Moreover, it poses potential risks for individuals with allergies who might consume products that are vegan believing they do not contain allergens like milk, fish, crustaceans or molluscs.

Confidence in Food Testing

Considering the serious questions raised about food testing and labelling, our YouGov survey asked the UK public about their confidence in current food testing methods that are there to ensure the food we eat is as described.

Survey participants were asked. In general, to what extent, are you confident in current food testing methods to ensure the food you eat is as described?

• Very confident.
• Somewhat confident.
• Not very confident.
• Not at all confident.
• Don’t know.

Based on the findings of our survey it is evident that there is a mix of confidence among the public. In general, 70% of the participants expressed some level of confidence with 12% being ‘Very confident’ and 58% ‘Somewhat confident’ in the testing methods. However, when it comes to individuals with food allergies this confidence drops to 64%, and those not confident in food testing methods increases from 20% for everyone to 29% for those with allergies.

These results indicate that while a majority still have trust in the existing food testing systems it is understandable that people with allergies are cautiously sceptical.

Need for Legal Definition

A majority, 75% or three out of four survey participants, agree that having a legal definition for vegan food is crucial. This definition would clarify that vegan foods should not contain animal-derived ingredients such as eggs, milk, fish, crustaceans or molluscs. Interestingly, when looking only at survey responses from vegans the majority increases from 75% to 87%, which shows that the vegan community would welcome the introduction of a legal definition for vegan food.

Survey participants were asked. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“A legal definition is needed to clarify that the food labelled as vegan must not contain animal-derived ingredients such as milk, fish, crustaceans or molluscs”

• Strongly agree.
• Tend to agree.
• Neither agree nor disagree.
• Tend to disagree.
• Strongly disagree.
• Don’t know.

The absence of such a definition currently poses potential risks for individuals with allergies who might mistakenly assume that vegan foods are allergen-free. Furthermore, a clear legal definition would assist consumers in finding products that match their values and contribute to environmental sustainability.

By establishing a definition for vegan food, we can ensure clarity in product labelling, consumer safety and alignment with consumer preferences.

The Tragic Story of Celia Marsh

The need for a robust system to confirm the absence of allergens in ingredients and the need for a legal definition of vegan food is made all too clear in the tragic case of Celia Marsh. In December 2017, Celia Marsh, a 42 year old mother of five and dental nurse diagnosed with a cow’s milk allergy, died after eating a super-veg rainbow flatbread from Pret a Manger labelled as ‘vegan’ and ‘dairy-free’ which, unbeknownst to her, was contaminated with milk protein. This is particularly saddening as Mrs Marsh is said to have been “religious” in checking the ingredient lists on foods in an attempt to stay safe.

At the inquest into Celia Marsh’s death evidence was revealed that identified the source of the cross-contamination was a stabilising ingredient used in the dairy-free yoghurt alternative made by Planet Coconut. During the inquest, the managing director of Planet Coconut, Bethany Eaton, was asked whether she considered testing ingredients to which Mrs Eaton replied “We never tested the product because I was assured and believed it was being made in an allergen-free environment.” Mrs Eaton went on to explain that since the death of Celia Marsh, all products are now tested regardless of where they come from.

Pret a Manger had taken the word of their supplier that the ingredients used in the super-veg rainbow flatbread were dairy-free and labelled it as such. Sadly, this was not the case.

In a subsequent prevention of future deaths report, the coroner Maria Voisin concluded that “a product which is marked dairy-free should be free from dairy.” When outlining her concerns, Voisin addressed the FSA, the British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation and British Hospitality, saying:

Discussing the current role and responsibilities of food manufacturers, food retailers and restaurants to protect consumers, food allergen expert Caroline Benjamin said “Food manufacturers and retailers have a responsibility under Pre-packed labelling regulations and we believe testing for precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) is a best practice in keeping the food hypersensitive (FHS) consumer safe. Restaurants need to have a full HACCP / auditing in place when making claims but also making the customer aware of any risks and how these will be mitigated when preparing food for the FHS customer.”

Since Mrs Marsh’s tragic death, there has been no change in the law to provide a legal definition of vegan food nor to introduce improved testing and checks to ensure food and its labelling accurately match. The FSA has updated its food allergen business guidance on the labelling of vegan products, recommending that a precautionary allergen label, also known as a ‘may contain’ statement, be applied to a vegan product. Although this is a small step in the right direction, the majority of what was suggested in Voisin’s prevention of future deaths report has still not been acted upon and it remains difficult for consumers to make informed choices when purchasing vegan food products. Ultimately, those with allergies are still at risk. 

The Vegan Society’s Position

The Vegan Society is an established charity and the oldest organisation dedicated to promoting veganism. Founded in the UK in 1944 they lead activities and campaigns related to veganism and plant-based foods.

The Vegan Trademark is a known certification for vegan products that have gained recognition through the efforts of the Vegan Society.

According to the official ‘Vegan Trademark standards’ it mentions “The manufacture and/or development of the product, and its ingredients, must not involve or have involved the use of any animal product, by-product or derivative.” 

It is important to note that the Vegan Trademark does not explicitly require vegan food to be suitable for individuals with animal-based food allergies. Instead the licence agreement asks companies to confirm that they strive to minimise cross-contamination from animal products “as far as is reasonably practicable”. 

As stated by the Vegan Society themselves:

Alex Gazzola, a writer specialising in food allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease, explains this further, saying: “The definition of ‘vegan food’ according to the Vegan Society (VS) is essentially based on ingredients and intent. If the ingredients are vegan, and the intention is to make a vegan product, then it is vegan. I suppose you could say it is about the attempt made, rather than a strict measure of success. Accidental cross-contamination is not an ingredient, and not intentional, therefore has no impact on the vegan status.”

Giving his opinion on what the future of vegan labelling could look like, Alex said: “People with a milk and/or egg allergy are regular consumers of vegan foods, and have contributed to the growth in the vegan sector from which the VS have directly benefited. It would be a nice touch if they were to give something back to the community, even if just helping out with awareness campaigns.”

“I think it would be a pity and would sour relations if pressure from the allergy / free from community were to ultimately result in the VS having to change their definition against their will. What I’d like to see instead is discussion and negotiation between the communities and the legislators to reach an agreement on the best way forward”

“If a food meets the VS definition, it is vegan. If it does not, it is not. There is no ‘in between’ or third ground under the current definition. I do like the idea of a third ground, I should add – ‘vegan’ and ‘vegan plus’, for example, to take into account foods with and without potential cross-contamination”

We spoke with Chris Kirby, Health & Safety Manager at Timothy Taylor & Co. brewery, who have been granted use of the Vegan Trademark on their range of bottled and canned beers. Asked for his thoughts on the potential introduction of a legal definition of vegan foods and the impact it may have on the production of vegan products Chris said “I think there may be some negativity as some of the vegan claims that are made by manufacturers would need to be revisited and work would need to be completed on new ways to ensure their vegan status. It would not negatively impact Timothy Taylor products as our vegan products are completely segregated from non-vegan products, so therefore no cross-contamination risk.”

The term ‘vegan’ belongs to the vegan community and that community plays a key role in determining what ‘vegan’ means, but consumer expectations and industry practices do not match as 64% of vegans expect food labelled as vegan to be completely free from any ingredients derived from animals.

Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) Recommendation

There is a growing concern in the food industry regarding the absence of a vegan food definition. With more people buying vegan food and campaigns like Veganuary promoting vegan diets it’s crucial to address this issue.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) published a report in 2023 and put forward recommendations relating to vegan and plant-based food. They highlight the need for a definition of vegan food as well as an educational campaign to help consumers understand what to look for on food labels. Additionally, they suggest that businesses should receive updated guidance to ensure transparency. Implementing these recommendations would play a role in safeguarding consumer safety and fostering trust.

Timothy Taylor & Co. Health & Safety Manager, Chris Kirby says “I feel that consumers should be able to make food safe choices about the food / drink they consume. Just because a product is Vegan doesn’t mean it is allergen-free, and this may be what some consumers presume. Vegan consumers choose not to eat products that intentionally use ingredients of animal origin, but it is equally as important to highlight to the consumer if there is a potential allergen cross-contamination risk (e.g. “may contain” statement). If a consumer is choosing to have a vegan diet, then the products should be completely vegan. Having worked in food manufacturing for the last 27 years I understand the challenges this can pose, so a legal definition would clear up any confusion.”

Currently some companies are taking advantage of people’s assumptions about vegan diets through “vegan washing.” This deceptive practice involves labelling products as “vegan” or “plant-based” despite containing animal-derived ingredients like milk or eggs or being prepared in environments where cross-contamination with animal-based products is highly likely. For example, in 2020 Burger King released their new “plant-based” burger which was widely considered to be suitable for vegans. In reality, it was found that the burger was cooked alongside meat, and the product came with egg-based mayonnaise. Thus, it wasn’t suitable for vegans and the ad was considered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to be misleading.

To prevent the occurrence of animal-derived ingredients in vegan food it would be beneficial to act on the CTSI recommendation and establish a legal definition that strictly prohibits any presence of animal-derived ingredients.

Additionally it is important to raise awareness among consumers about how animal-derived ingredients are indicated on food labels. Some terms used to describe animal-derived ingredients may not be familiar to consumers. For example:

• Casein – A milk protein.
• Collagen – From the skin, bones and elastin tissue of animals.
• Whey – A milk by-product.
• Albumen/Albumin – From egg.
• Vitamin D3 – Often from fish-liver oil or sheep’s wool.
• Lactose – Milk sugar and milk protein.
• Pepsin – from the stomachs of pigs, a clotting agent used in vitamins.

Consumer Awareness and Education

Based on our analysis of the survey results it is evident that there are gaps in consumer knowledge regarding vegan food. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve education and understanding among consumers regarding vegan food choices.

The popularity of vegan food has grown rapidly. Unfortunately, there is a concerning lack of understanding about the ingredients used in vegan food. Our survey results highlight this issue showing that many people (72% of survey participants), including those with allergies, mistakenly believe that food labelled as vegan won’t contain animal-derived ingredients like milk and eggs. This misconception poses a potential health risk for individuals with allergies to animal-derived allergens.

It’s crucial to address this lack of awareness and improve consumer knowledge about vegan food. This way we can better protect individuals with food allergies and ensure that people can make informed choices about the food they consume.

Conclusions

Our survey findings reveal a contrast between consumer perceptions and the reality of vegan food in the UK. It’s alarming that 72% of participants wrongly believe that vegan food is free from animal-derived ingredients and safe for individuals with allergies. This misconception is particularly dangerous for those with food allergies. To improve the situation there is a need for a definition of vegan food in order to provide clarity and safeguard consumer health.

It is important for consumers to carefully check and read the labels on food before consuming it. However, there are concerns about food labelling and the testing of supply chains to ensure that the food we eat matches its description. Our survey reveals that while a majority (70%) have some confidence in food testing methods, unfortunate incidents like the case of Celia Marsh, who tragically passed away after consuming a vegan flatbread labelled as dairy-free but actually contaminated with milk protein, highlight the need for rigorous supply chain checks and testing to prevent such occurrences.

Encouragingly 74% of survey respondents agree that there should be a definition for vegan food. Among participants who identify as vegans this percentage rises to 87% indicating strong support for a definition. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has recommended implementing a definition for vegan food, which would establish legal thresholds for what qualifies as animal free food.

Given the findings of our report, the recommendations from the CTSI and the concerns of coroner Maria Voisin, it is clear that a legal definition for vegan food is needed and better food testing should be put in place to confirm the absence of allergens in all ingredients and during food production to prevent tragic cases like Celia Marsh’s.

Methodology

All survey figures are from YouGov Plc. Survey commissioned by High Speed Training. Total sample size was 2,187 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken in January 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representatives of all UK adults (18+).

The post Vegan Food Report: Beyond the Label appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Displaying and referencing our food allergy awareness posters in your classroom can be a good way to inform those in school about the dangers of food allergies, and the steps that both pupils and staff can take to help prevent allergic reactions.

In this article, we will provide you with a range of posters that you can download, print and display around your school to help promote allergy awareness in children and members of staff.

14 Food Allergens Poster

Any food has the ability to cause an allergic reaction, however, allergies to certain foods are more common than others. To help you remember the 14 named allergens which pupils are most likely to react to, we have a poster for you to use or display in your school.

Print out and display this handy poster in school kitchens, snack areas and around the classroom to make sure everyone is kept informed. You can download the poster below.

7 Steps of Handwashing Poster

The importance of hand washing cannot be understated, and maintaining high standards of personal hygiene is essential in preventing allergenic cross-contamination. To learn more, check out our article on the 7 Steps of Handwashing.

By displaying this poster in your school’s hand washing areas, you will enable everyone to follow a good hand washing procedure that will minimise the spread of bacteria. You can download the poster below.

Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction Poster

If you care for a child that suffers from a food hypersensitivity, it’s imperative that you understand the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction so that you can respond calmly and appropriately.

Most food allergy symptoms typically start to develop between a few seconds and a few minutes after eating the offending food. If you’d like to further your understanding of the signs and what to do if you notice any of the symptoms occurring, take a look at our articles on Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction and How to Manage Anaphylaxis in Children. You can download the poster below.

Administering an Adrenaline Auto-Injector Poster

An adrenaline auto-injector – also known as an AAI or an adrenaline pen – is prescribed to anyone with an allergy who is at risk of having a severe, acute allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. If you’d like to increase your understanding, take a look at our article: Guidance on Adrenaline Auto-Injectors.

The instructions included on this poster will help you understand how to use an adrenaline auto-injector if a child is experiencing anaphylaxis, whether it’s an EpiPen or Jext. You can download the poster below.

Locating Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) Poster

Adrenaline Auto Injectors (AAIs) are used to treat severe anaphylactic reactions; you may recognise them from their brand names ‘Epipen’ or ‘Jext’. By law, schools can obtain spare AAIs without a prescription. However, they are not required to do so. 

If your school does choose to have spare AAIs, you should have a School Food Allergy Policy which explains how and where they are stored and detail the situations in which they may be used. It may also be useful to display this poster so that you can easily identify where to locate spare AAIs in the event of an emergency. You can download the poster below.

Displaying, and regularly referring to, food allergy awareness posters in your school, like those we have shared with you in this article, acts as a constant reminder of the importance to protect the staff and pupils who suffer from food hypersensitivities. This helps to increase understanding of allergens and can reassure parents or carers that you are working to create a whole-school approach to allergy awareness.

Further Resources:

• What Should a School Food Allergy Policy Cover?
• How to Spot Allergy Bullying
• Food Allergy Awareness Quiz
• What are the Food Hygiene Requirements in a School?
• Free Food Hygiene Posters for Schools
• Internet Safety Posters for Schools
• Food Allergen Awareness Training

The post Food Allergy Awareness Posters for Schools appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

• Food Allergen Awareness Training
• What is Food Hypersensitivity?
• What is a Food Intolerance?
• What Does Natasha’s Law Mean for My Business?
• Food Allergies: Myth Vs. Fact
• Food Allergy Awareness Quiz
• Food Safety Awareness Quiz

The post Food Hypersensitivity Quiz appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, schools have a responsibility to support pupils with medical conditions when they’re at school. Having an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) in place for these children means schools know exactly how to support their medical, educational, social and emotional needs, allowing them to participate as fully as possible in school, whilst remaining safe.

In this article, we will explain what IHPs are and how they can be used to support children with medical conditions in schools, who would benefit from an IHP and what information they should include. We will also provide you with a free, downloadable Individual Healthcare Plan template that can be adapted for use.

What is an Individual Healthcare Plan?

An Individual Healthcare Plan, also known as an IHP or IHCP, is a plan drawn up for children with ongoing medical conditions that details the support they may need in school, in order for their condition to be managed correctly and safely. 

IHPs help to make sure that children are both safe and included in school by giving staff detailed information and guidance on how to provide support for their needs – primarily medical needs relating to their condition – but equally any educational, social or emotional needs that might stem from it. 

An IHP sets out exactly what support is needed, how it should be given, when and by whom. This means that everyone knows their responsibilities for keeping the child as safe as possible in school, including, most importantly, in the event of a medical emergency. 

An Individual Healthcare Plan is not the same as an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which sets out the support required by children with special educational needs. However, some children will have both an IHP and an EHC plan. Unlike an EHC plan, an IHP does not rely on a formal statutory process, meaning an IHP can be drawn up as soon as it’s identified that a child has an appropriate medical need and can be reviewed at any time. 

It’s essential that anyone with permission to access a child’s IHP is able to find, understand and use it quickly and efficiently. Anyone who may need to become involved in an emergency situation involving the child should have permission to access their IHP.

This may include: 

• Teachers.
• Headteacher.
• School nurses.
• Lunchtime staff, including monitors. 
• Safeguarding officers.
• Pastoral Staff. 
• Teaching assistants. 
• Extra curricular staff.

Only those with permission should be able to access an IHP, otherwise it must be kept confidential. Any decision to share an IHP must be made in collaboration between the school’s headteacher and the child’s parent or guardian, as well as the child themselves where appropriate. 

Who Should be Involved in Writing an IHP?

An Individual Healthcare Plan must be a collaborative effort, with different voices representing the child and providing insight into how their condition can affect various aspects of their life. 

It should be written in collaboration between: 

• The child’s school – a representative from the child’s school could be anyone who is involved in providing support for them at school. This may be a teacher, general teaching assistant, 1:1 teaching assistant, SEN assistant and/or pastoral care staff. These individuals can provide insight into how the child’s condition impacts their education. 
• The child’s parents or carers – of those involved in developing the IHP, parents/carers will often have the greatest understanding and experience of the child’s condition, outside of the child themselves, including how it affects them in everyday life. They will have experience of providing daily care and managing the child’s condition at home, making them best placed to know what kind of similar support the child will need in school. Take a look at our article on effective communication with parents in education, here. 
• The child – this is appropriate if the child fully understands what is being discussed. If a child is over 14, it is generally advised that they are involved in the drawing up of their own IHP as they are nearing adulthood, when they will become responsible for their own welfare. The child should be as involved as possible in discussions relating to the support they need, sharing their views and what matters most to them. 
• Healthcare professional/s – this is someone who provides medical care and support for the child and may include their GP, hospital consultants, physical therapists, etc. They can provide guidance on the specific medical support a child will require, including treatments and/or medications. They can also advise on any training staff members will need to provide this support safely, including in the event of an emergency. 

This is not an exhaustive list of the individuals that can be involved in drawing up or reviewing an IHP. Other representatives may be part of the process depending on the child, their condition and their needs.

The collaborative nature of writing and reviewing an IHP has additional safeguarding benefits, as it allows different agencies to come together and get a full insight into that child’s day-to-day life. This means that any concerns about the child should be identified and reported quickly. You can read our article on creating a safeguarding culture in schools, here. 

Who Needs an IHP?

Any child with an ongoing medical condition that affects their health and wellbeing and may require medication or treatment at school should be considered for an Individual Healthcare Plan. If their condition is severe and/or they have complex medical needs, it’s strongly advised that they have one drawn up, particularly if they are at high risk of a medical emergency. 

However, there are no specific guidelines for what kind of health condition a child must have for them to need an IHP and, while a parent or guardian can request that their child has one drawn up, it is ultimately up to the child’s school to decide whether or not they receive one. 

Some of the most common conditions that would necessitate a child to have an IHP include, but are not limited to: 

• Diabetes. 
• Epilepsy. 
• Asthma. 
• Allergies. 
• Continence issues. 

Every child will cope differently with their condition, requiring varying levels of care and support. Some ongoing medical conditions will pose less risk to a child than others and may not require complex care. Some children may be willing and able to administer their own medication or treatment for their condition. 

In these cases, an IHP may not be necessary for that child, however, other children with the same condition may still need one. Different children will cope differently with the same condition, requiring different levels of care and support. For this reason, schools must consider each individual case carefully when deciding whether or not to draw up an IHP.

Ideally, the decision whether an IHP is necessary for a child should be a collaborative one between their school, their parent/guardian and their healthcare representative. However, if all parties cannot agree, the decision should rest with the headteacher. 

How Can an IHP Support a Child With Allergies?

20% of serious allergic reactions to food involving children happen when they are at school. Having a serious food allergy puts children at risk of anaphylaxis, an emergency situation that requires a specific medical response – injection with an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI). 

If a child has a serious food allergy, they may benefit from having an IHP in place, as school staff need to know exactly how to respond, without delay, if an allergic reaction occurs. If staff don’t know how to provide the correct support for a child during an allergic reaction, the outcome can be fatal. 

If a child suffers from an allergic reaction at school and, for any reason, their own AAI can’t be used on them without delay, staff are not permitted to use another child’s AAI on them. To combat this problem, under changes to the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017, schools can now buy back-up AAIs without a prescription. 

Back-up AAIs may be used on children experiencing anaphylaxis. However, schools need to have written permission from the child’s parents and their medical care provider before they can use a spare AAI in an emergency. This permission can be written into that child’s IHP, so that if an emergency situation arises, it can be dealt with immediately. This exemplifies just one way an IHP can protect a child with allergies in school. 

An IHP should also outline the training school staff need to be able to spot the signs of and manage allergic reactions effectively, as well as any triggers for that particular child and ways to reduce the risk of allergic reactions happening at all, also known as allergen avoidance. 

The Benedict Blythe Foundation works to safeguard children with allergies in schools and support them to achieve their learning potential. They launched a campaign called Protect Pupils With Allergies that seeks to turn some of the current recommendations around keeping children with allergies safe in schools into legislation, meaning schools must implement them. 

One of these recommendations is for every child with an allergy to have an IHP and anaphylaxis action plan completed and regularly updated, in collaboration between the child, their parent/guardian and the school. An anaphylaxis action plan functions as an emergency care plan for a child with allergies.

Other recommendations include having an allergy policy in place, having spare, in-date AAIs and implementing staff training on allergies and anaphylaxis in a whole school allergy awareness approach. You can learn more about the campaign and offer support, here. 

Looking to Learn More?

Our Food Allergen Awareness Training Course teaches food handlers, including school caterers, about food hypersensitivities – including allergens, how to be compliant with the UK’s allergen laws and how to label and communicate allergen information properly in order to keep people with allergies safe.

What Information Should an IHP Include?

An IHP should be a clear, unambiguous description of a child’s health condition/s, how it affects them and the support they will need at school to help them overcome any barriers that would prevent them from having the same opportunities and experiences as other children, as far as possible. 

There are no set guidelines for what an IHP must include and it’s ultimately up to the school how they decide to set one out and what to include in it, depending on each individual child and their requirements. 

How detailed an IHP is will depend on the complexity and severity of their condition and support required. However, an effective IHP should include at least the sections listed below. 

Personal Details

This includes the child’s: 

• Name. 
• Date of birth. 
• Year and class group details. 
• Photograph, if possible, so staff can recognise them. 
• Medical condition/s and  triggers/symptoms that can affect them. 
• A clear outline of what to do in an emergency. 

There also needs to be contact details for the child’s parent/guardian, their GP and any other relevant healthcare providers – such as a clinician or consultant – or essential contacts. 

Medical Support Requirements

This section should include any daily medication and/or treatment requirements that must be administered at school, including: 

• The name of the medication.
• Dose and frequency of administration
• Storage requirements
• Clear guidance on how to administer medication.
• The expiry date.
• How often medication or equipment should be checked and by whom – this is to make sure medication is still in date and not close to running out. 
• Side effects to the medications, along with any other medications or treatments the child has outside of school and their possible side effects. 
• Any self-administered medications or treatments, with the name of the person responsible for supervising self-administration and how they are expected to supervise.  

Staff Responsibilities

This section should include a list of who has responsibility for providing support for the child at school. Everyone listed here should have access to and have read the IHP and be aware of their exact responsibilities concerning the child’s care. 

It must also list the training that each staff member requires to fulfil their responsibilities, as well as any training they already have, when it was completed and when this training is valid until. A named individual, documented within the plan, should be responsible for ensuring staff receive their necessary training and keep a record of this information.

Need a Course?

Take a look at our range of CPD certified Teaching and Education Courses, including Epilepsy Awareness Training, Anaphylaxis Awareness Training and Paediatric First Aid Training. 

The Child’s Views

Children should be encouraged to be as involved in developing their IHP as possible, where appropriate. They should be allowed to offer insight into how their condition affects them at school; physically, socially and emotionally and will be able to provide insight into areas they feel they need support in and others they perhaps don’t. It is also helpful to consider whether or not the child feels comfortable sharing their condition with their classmates, or whether they would prefer for this to be as confidential as possible. 

These views should be considered while writing the rest of the plan. You can find guidance on encouraging children to express their feelings and emotions in our article, here. 

Emergency Response

This is a vital section of the IHP as it outlines exactly what staff must do in the event of a medical emergency. This should address: 

• What constitutes an emergency situation?
• What are the signs and symptoms of an emergency? 
• What can trigger an emergency? 
• Who is responsible in an emergency? 
• What action/s should be taken by responsible staff members if an emergency occurs? 
• Should any follow up actions be taken after an emergency situation to support the child? You can learn about how to support individuals who have received first aid assistance in our article, here. 
• When should an ambulance be called? 

By answering these questions, responsible staff know exactly how to respond if an emergency arises and can act without delay, reducing the risk to the child. 

In this section, it is important to have appropriate and significant information to hand if an ambulance is required. This way, an effective medical response can be obtained quickly as possible, without having to search for essential information. An example of this is included in the Individual Healthcare Plan template at the end of this article. 

Daily Support Requirements

Here you should detail any regular support the child may need at school to ensure their condition doesn’t prevent them having the same opportunities as others and to keep them safe. This is where input from the different parties involved in a child’s care is particularly important. 

You should include: 

• Dietary support – is there anything the child may need to eat and drink as part of the treatment of their condition, as well as any food or drinks they should not consume? You may indicate here if the child needs to eat at a certain time of day or needs assistance eating or drinking. 
• Educational support – consider how the child’s condition affects their ability to learn in school and outside of it. For example, does it impact their behaviour and/or concentration and could any adjustments be made to support their learning experiences in light of this? For example, they might require extra lessons or additional breaks. 
• Attendance support – having an ongoing medical condition can affect a child’s attendance and in turn their ability to fully engage in school. What can be done to support the child if their attendance is affected, what might they need while they’re away to make sure they keep up, or upon returning to be able to catch up? 
• Activities support – outline any additional support the child may need to take part in certain activities at school, particularly physical activity. For example, if they need more time to get between lessons, need extra toilet breaks or would benefit from using the disabled toilets. Think about if any other factors might affect how well they can engage in activities, such as weather or location. 

• SEN support – detail here any SEN support the child may need in addition to their medical support. Think about whether their SEN may affect or be affected by their condition.
• Social support – think about how the child’s condition could affect their ability to engage socially in school, particularly if they need to take a lot of time off school. Remember that adult involvement in social situations changes the nature of socialising between children and young adults, so they need opportunities to socialise with other children without an adult present. 
• Emotional support – consider what kind of emotional challenges might be expected for the child because of their condition and any strategies they have in place, or that could be implemented, to help them deal with this. This might include counselling. 
• Any other support requirements – outline any support you feel would help the child to be fully involved in school that hasn’t already been mentioned.

You can learn more about supporting social, emotional and mental health in pupils in our article, here. 

Extra Curricular Arrangements

You must detail any additional support required for school activities that take place outside of the school or outside of regular timetabling. For example, school trips – particularly overnight trips – sports clubs or matches and after-school clubs. 

The IHP should state who is primarily responsible for providing medical care in these situations, should the child need it, including in the case of an emergency. Again, these people must have read and understood the IHP and their responsibilities and have sufficient training to provide care.

Review and Consent

The plan should conclude with details of the annual review date, including any known reasons why the plan may need to be updated sooner than this. 

However, it’s important to remember that when a child has an ongoing medical condition, their needs can change at any time, without warning, so a plan can be reviewed at any time before the annual date. 

Anyone permitted to make changes to the IHP, as well as the sections they are allowed to change, should be listed here, too. 

Finally, the plan must be signed by:

• The child or young person.  
• Their parents/guardians.
• The school representative. 
• The healthcare representative. 

This is to verify that they have consented to the plan and the programme of support laid out in it. 

Individual Healthcare Plan Template

The following template includes all of the essential sections we have just discussed. However, every child and their situation is unique so, should you decide that a particular child would benefit from additional support that isn’t outlined in this template, you should include this in your plan. 

You can download our free individual healthcare plan template, here: 

Children should be able to take part in school life without worrying about their medical condition. They, and their parents or guardians, must be assured that they are in an environment where they’ll always receive any support they need, quickly and correctly. Having an IHP is vital for achieving this and is something you should consider implementing for any child in your school with an ongoing medical condition. 

Further Resources:

• How to Support Children With Speech, Language and Communication Needs
• How to Create a Positive Learning Environment
• Introduction to Safeguarding Children Training Course (Level 1 Safeguarding)

The post What is an Individual Healthcare Plan? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

With children spending a significant amount of time at school, it is vital that those with food allergies feel safe and can thrive without worrying about an allergic reaction.

In this article, we will outline what a school food allergy policy aims to do and what should be covered in the policy. We will also provide you with an editable example to use so you can feel confident when creating your own policy.

What is a Food Allergy Policy for Schools?

Schools are busy and exciting environments, but for pupils with food hypersensitivities, attending school and managing this can be daunting. It can also be incredibly worrisome for their parents and carers. For some children with food allergies, even trace amounts of a certain ingredient can be enough to trigger a severe reaction, so it’s essential to take these conditions seriously.

It is not only food allergies to be aware of, but also wider food hypersensitivities. The term food hypersensitivity encompasses allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease. Whilst symptoms linked to intolerances and coeliac disease may not be immediately life threatening, they can cause very unpleasant symptoms. Over time, if coeliacs ingest gluten, it can cause serious health issues. If you would like to understand more about food hypersensitivities, take a look at our article: What is Food Hypersensitivity?

Having a food allergy policy can demonstrate the school’s conscientious approach to dealing with food hypersensitivities, and allowing parents and carers to access this can be very reassuring. It shows that consideration has been taken, and additional planning has been carried out to provide a safe environment for children who experience adverse reactions to certain ingredients.

The policy needs to cover information such as the signs of an allergic reaction, how to prepare and serve food safely for pupils with hypersensitivities and how to act in an emergency. It should also be created in line with relevant guidelines and legislation, some of which we will explain below.

Food Allergy School Guidelines

The Children & Families Act 2014 makes it a legal requirement to make arrangements for pupils with medical conditions in school, including food allergies. This means that schools must take time to consider the additional steps needed to provide safe and fulfilling environments for all pupils with food allergies.

When considering the food served at school in particular, The Food Information Regulations, 2014, requires all food businesses, including school caterers, to ensure that allergen information is clearly provided for all food they serve. From October 2021, food which is prepared and packaged on the same site (Pre-Packed for Direct Sale), such as sandwiches and salads, must have a full ingredients list, with allergens clearly highlighted. Your school allergy policy should outline how you operate in line with these regulations.

To make it a little easier to provide for pupils with food hypersensitivities, many will have an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP), which is created by a medical professional, such as their GP. Considering the guidance offered in children’s IHP’s can be incredibly helpful when designing a Food Allergy Policy.

Recently, a campaign by the Benedict Blythe Foundation was launched, calling for several steps to become mandatory in schools regarding allergies and anaphylaxis. One of these was for all schools to have an effective allergy policy, including an anaphylaxis plan. It also calls for the provision for children with food allergies to be monitored more closely by Ofsted.

Taking all of this into account, it’s clear that managing food hypersensitivities safely in school is a vital element of safeguarding children. You can learn more about the legislation surrounding all parts of safeguarding in our hub article here.

What Should a School Food Allergy Policy Include?

The details of what should be included in your food allergy policy will depend on the specific risks in your setting. However, all policies need to cover certain essential topics. With this in mind, your food allergy policy must cover the following:

• An explanation of allergies and anaphylaxis – this should include the symptoms to look out for, which might indicate an allergic reaction, alongside a clear explanation of anaphylaxis and the 14 food allergens which pupils are most likely to react to.
• Details of specific roles and responsibilities – in this section, you should explain the roles of teachers and parents, alongside any additional specific roles such as that of the headteacher or school nurse.
• An anaphylaxis emergency response plan – the response plan should detail exactly what to do should a pupil experience an anaphylactic reaction, including where to locate Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) and how and when to use these. This section should also detail how AAIs are stored correctly.
• An outline of the training provided for staff – the policy must also detail how staff are trained to deal with allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. It is imperative that staff are trained properly to respond to an emergency confidently and effectively.
• Details of catering arrangements – how catering is planned and provided for pupils with food allergies and hypersensitivities should be outlined, including how this is communicated to parents/carers. It should also include how allergens are managed concerning pupils bringing food from home into school.
• How effective communication is achieved – you should consider how food allergy awareness is shared amongst staff, pupils and parents. This will allow you to achieve awareness and understanding amongst the whole school community.
• Risk assessment – the policy should also cover how risk assessments are carried out for food allergies in school, educational visits and other extracurricular activities.
• Safeguarding – pupils with food allergies are likely to require an additional level of safeguarding, and this should also be outlined in the policy. A rising issue in schools is allergy bullying. Schools should be aware of this and plan how this is dealt with in the safeguarding section of their policy. You can read more about this in our hub article: How to Spot Allergy Bullying.

Looking to Learn More?

We offer various courses designed to provide the skills needed to cater for and safeguard those with food allergies and hypersensitivities, such as our Food Allergen Awareness Course, or Anaphylaxis Awareness.

Should I Have A Nut Free School Policy?

With nut allergies being one of the most common food allergies among children, it may seem like having a completely nut-free policy is the best way forward. However, this should be approached cautiously, and some allergy experts advise against this.

This is because it can be very challenging for staff to monitor this type of policy. Many children bring a packed lunch to school, and food items containing nuts can easily be brought into school this way. Even with vigilance from parents, it might not always be obvious that a product contains nuts and with busy households, it’s easy for a mistake to happen. To understand more about precautionary allergy food labelling, take a look at our article here.

It’s also worth noting that labelling the school as ‘nut free’ may create a false sense of security and can cause pupils, staff and parents to be a little more complacent when it comes to the management and monitoring of food allergies.

However, the decision regarding whether or not to implement a nut free policy depends upon the school itself. For example, a nut free policy is seen more often in Primary Schools than Secondary Schools. This is because a smaller site, and reduced number of pupils in a Primary School may mean that a nut free policy can be monitored more carefully and is therefore considered to be achievable.

Can Schools Have Spare Adrenaline Auto Injectors?

Adrenaline Auto Injectors (AAIs) are used to treat severe anaphylactic reactions; you may recognise them from their brand names ‘Epipen’ or ‘Jext’. Part of the campaign mentioned earlier by the Benedict Blythe Foundation calls for schools to ensure they have spare, in-date AAIs available at all times.

By law, schools can obtain spare AAIs without a prescription. However, they are not required to do so. There are benefits to holding spare AAIs, though. For example, one can be administered if a pupil suffers an anaphylactic shock and has forgotten their AAI, it is out of date, broken or initially administered incorrectly. It is crucial, however, that any staff member who administers an AAI has received training to allow them to do this correctly.

You should state your school’s position on this matter in your policy. If the school does choose to have spare AAIs, the policy needs to explain how and where they are stored and detail the situations in which they may be used.

Example School Food Allergy Policy

As we’ve explained throughout this article, having a comprehensive allergen policy in place is essential to protect the staff and pupils who suffer from food hypersensitivities. To help with this, we have created an editable school food allergy policy example that you can use within your school.

Our template has space for you to edit and fill in your school’s details and contains the following sections:

• Introduction.
• Background information.
• Roles and responsibilities.
• Emergency anaphylaxis response plan.
• Supply, storage and care of medication.
• The storage and use of spare adrenaline auto injectors in school.
• Staff training.
• Safeguarding.
• Catering.
• Extra-curricular activities.
• Communication and allergy awareness.
• Risk assessment.

Whilst this example policy exemplifies what should be included in each section, you must tailor your allergen policy to the specific nature of your school and the risks associated with your setting.

You can download our editable example policy at the button below:

Free Food Allergens Poster for Schools

Print out and display this handy poster in school kitchens, snack areas and around the classroom to make sure everyone is kept informed.

Download & Display 14 Allergens Poster

We hope you have found this article helpful and informative. Keeping pupils with food hypersensitivities safe at school is paramount and takes careful planning and consideration. An effective food allergy policy can help you ensure that the school community is confident, prepared and aware of how best to safeguard pupils with allergies and allow them to relax and enjoy their time at school.

Further Resources:

• Anaphylaxis Awareness Training
• Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to Food
• Free 14 Allergens Poster
• What are the Food Hygiene Requirements in a School?
• Food Allergen Awareness Training

The post What Should a School Food Allergy Policy Cover? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In the UK, 40% of children are living with a diagnosed allergy. This means that most school classrooms will have at least one pupil who has an allergy. Allergies can seriously impact a child’s quality of life, in all aspects of life, including their time at school. Because having an allergy can make a child appear different from those around them, it can also lead to bullying. 

Allergy bullying can be extremely dangerous for a child with an allergy, potentially even deadly. In this article, we will cover what allergy bullying is, how you can spot it and the steps you can take to prevent it from happening in schools.

What is Allergy Bullying?

Allergy bullying occurs when someone with an allergy, usually a child or teenager, is bullied because they have an allergy to something. 

Food allergy bullying is the most common form of allergy bullying and, although it’s not one of the most talked about forms of bullying, as many as 32% of children have reported being bullied due to having a food allergy at least once. It can range from mean comments and teasing, to an allergic child being physically threatened with or tricked into handling or eating their allergen.

The consequences of allergy bullying can be extremely serious. For some children, being exposed to even a small amount of their allergen can put them at risk of anaphylaxis which, if not handled quickly and correctly, can result in death. 

20% of serious allergic reactions to food involving children happen when they are at school. This can make sending a child with an allergy to school a daunting prospect for their parent or guardian. This is made worse by the prospect that their child could be threatened with their allergen by another child and that they may be treated poorly simply for having an allergy. 

Although a child may have the knowledge and tools to keep themselves safe from their allergen, they can’t necessarily control what other people do to them and this puts them at risk. 

Why Does Allergy Bullying Happen?

Bullying can take various forms and happen for many reasons but one of the main causes is when there is a perceived difference between the victim and those around them. This might relate to the victim’s:

• Sexuality.
• Race. 
• Religion.
• Physical or mental health problem, including allergies.

However, ultimately bullying can result from anything that makes them appear or act differently to others.

There are several things that can make a child with an allergy appear different to others. For example, they might not be able to eat the same thing as other children or they might have to wear medical identification or carry an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI). 

All of these things can single a child out as a target for bullies, particularly if other children don’t understand why the victim has to do these things. This could be the case if children are not properly educated about what allergies and allergic reactions are and the potential consequences of them. 

This can also mean that children who take part in allergy bullying aren’t aware of the potential consequences of what they’re doing. Allergies can often be an invisible condition, until someone suffers a serious allergic reaction. Unless a child sees a severe reaction happen, they may not fully understand the consequences their physical threats could have. 

For example, they might think that throwing peanuts at a child with a nut allergy is funny and might cause them to get itchy. However, in some cases, this could be enough to cause an anaphylaxis reaction. Although the perpetrator may view peanut allergy bullying as a funny prank, for the victim, this could be perceived as a violent threat. 

The Impact of Allergy Bullying

It’s not only physical threats that can harm an allergic child, either. Verbal bullying can severely impact their mental wellbeing and self-worth, which can continue into adulthood. It may cause stress, anxiety, depression, self-harm and even suicide. 

Allergy bullying can be particularly dangerous because it may lead victims to take risky or dangerous measures to stop the bullying from happening. For example, allergic children may: 

• Stop wearing their medical ID to avoid being singled out for having an allergy. 
• Stop carrying around their AAI so other children don’t find it and bully them for it. 
• Try to appear more ‘normal’ by acting as though they aren’t allergic to their allergen at all, which may include trying to handle or consume the allergen. 

Even allergic children who aren’t yet being bullied may perform these behaviours to avoid becoming targets themselves.

Looking to Learn More?

Our Food Allergen Awareness Training Course teaches food handlers, including school caterers, about food hypersensitivities – including allergens, how to be compliant with the UK’s allergen laws and how to label and communicate allergen information properly in order to keep people with allergies safe.

How Can You Spot Allergy Bullying?

It can sometimes be challenging to identify when a child is being bullied and, while asking them outright might seem like the simplest approach, this isn’t necessarily the case. The child may not want to disclose that they’re being bullied out of shame or embarrassment and in some cases – particularly among younger children – a victim of bullying may not realise what they are experiencing is bullying.

For these reasons, it’s more effective to ask children gentle, open questions that can help to uncover any changes in their behaviour and social life that might indicate they are being bullied. 

You should ask questions such as: 

• Who have you been sitting with at lunch and/or on the bus recently? 
• Have you been finding it easy/difficult to keep away from your allergen at school?
• Is everyone at your school nice or are there any children you don’t get along with? Why do you think that is? 
• What was the best/worst thing that happened at school today? 
• Do you feel safe in school? 
• Do you think the other children at school understand what it means that you have an allergy? 

In addition to being able to communicate with a child about potential bullying, it’s also incredibly important that you are able to recognise the signs that a child may be experiencing allergy bullying. 

Signs to look out for in a child include: 

• Being reluctant, or making excuses not to do activities they once enjoyed.
• Changes in their eating and/or sleeping habits. 
• Having an unexplained drop in their school performance. 
• Being unwilling to carry their allergy medication or medical ID around with them. 
• Walking to school if they previously took the bus. 
• Changing who they sit with at lunch. 
• Spending time alone and/or losing friends. 
• Showing increased anxiety, possibly around their allergy, including panic attacks. 
• Becoming withdrawn, depressed and/or unusually angry. 
• Talking negatively about themselves. 

How to Prevent Allergy Bullying in Schools

There are a number of ways for both school staff and parents to reduce the risk of allergy bullying in schools. These are listed below.

Having Clear and Concise School Policies

Every state school is required to have a behaviour policy in place, by law, which is decided by the school. This policy should be the first line of defence against bullying in schools and must: 

• Explain what kind of behaviour is not permitted at the school, including the different types of bullying. 
• State how cases of bullying or inappropriate behaviour should be dealt with if they happen.
• Include an anti-bullying strategy for preventing all types of bullying, including allergy bullying. 

This policy should be clearly communicated to both school staff and parents so everyone understands and is reassured that the response to unacceptable behaviour will be consistent, proportionate and certain. 

It should also be communicated to pupils in a way that is accessible and easy to understand – for example, having regular assemblies on school values and expectations, bi-annual anti-bullying newsletters and an annual anti-bullying day. 

School staff must be trained to implement and uphold the policy in all situations so they can respond to inappropriate behaviour correctly.

Schools should also have a well-written and communicated allergy policy that covers safeguarding children with allergies from bullying. You can find out what your food allergy policy needs to cover here. 

Allergy Awareness

To prevent allergy bullying from happening, it’s absolutely essential that school children and staff are taught what allergies actually are, and what they aren’t, and what they can mean for the person who has one. For example, they should understand that a food allergy is not the same as an intolerance but instead can have life changing consequences. This should include educating them on how allergies do and do not affect the lives of allergic people and why they might require a child to do things differently to other children. 

Children should also be taught about the potential harmful effects of an allergic reaction and how severe these can be so they fully understand the full impact their physical threats could have on an allergic child. If you want to learn how to spot the signs of an allergic reaction to food, check out our article, here. 

A whole-school approach to allergy awareness is essential for creating understanding and acceptance. 

This can be achieved through: 

• Dedicated assemblies or talks in lessons.
• Special projects or workshops.
• Putting up allergy awareness resources in the school, such as posters. We have a range of free, downloadable posters that you can print and display in your school.
• Giving someone with experience the chance to talk to pupils. This could be a child in the school who has an allergy and is willing to talk about it with others, or an external speaker. Either way, hearing first hand experiences is important for building understanding of allergies.

Anaphylaxis UK and Allergy UK both offer a hub of free resources you can use to build your own allergy awareness and promote allergy awareness in children. The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity, is also here to help with its new education programme – Allergy School. You can find more details on this in the dropdown below.

If a child is educated on the consequences their bullying could have on an allergic person, this should encourage those who view their teasing as a ‘joke’ to reconsider what they are doing. 

It’s also essential that parents and teachers teach children what allergy bullying looks like. This is beneficial to victims as they can identify and report when they are being bullied but also to other children who might witness the bullying, so they can either intervene and stand up for them, or report it themselves. 

Modelling Inclusive Behaviour

Children often model their behaviour on what the adults closest to them do. For example, if a parent decides to exclude an allergic child from a birthday party because they want to serve food the child is allergic to, then their child might go on to repeat this behaviour in their own life and begin to exclude the child from their social circle. As an adult in a child’s life, you must be a role model for inclusivity. 

Looking for a Course?

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ECI) Training Course teaches you how to promote equality and diversity and promote inclusion, both in and outside your workplace, whatever your role. 

Avoiding Singling Out, Discriminating Against or Stigmatising Allergic Students

As a member of staff, it’s your responsibility to strike the right balance between keeping children safe in school and creating a culture where children with allergies are able to participate fully. Consider how your approach might affect that child’s relationship with others. 

For example, if a teacher tells a class that they can’t have cake for someone’s birthday because Jimmy is allergic to nuts, by naming the child they put him at risk of being singled out with negativity from other children. This could escalate to allergy bullying. 

As school staff, you should also avoid, wherever possible, doing anything that physically isolates allergic children from their peers as this constitutes allergy discrimination. For example, putting all of the allergic children in the school on a separate table at lunch. While this keeps them safe from their allergen, it draws attention to their allergy and makes them seem different from others, potentially increasing the risk of bullying. 

This is the same for exclusion from any activity and should only be done if it’s agreed in the child’s Allergy Management Plan. All efforts should be made to make allergic children feel as included as possible at school, even if that means taking measures to remove their allergen from the environment. 

Children with allergies should also not be labelled as, or implied to be, either victims or vulnerable. Although it’s important to make other children understand that allergic children are at increased risk of harm, this shouldn’t be done in a way that makes them seem weak or an easy target.

If you are a member of school staff, knowing how to conduct a food allergen risk assessment for your school will allow you to deliver a safe, inclusive and best practice environment for both pupils and staff. We offer a free, downloadable food allergen risk assessment template that you can use in your school, here. 

Instilling Confidence

When it comes to preventing allergy bullying, it’s vitally important that children with allergies feel happy and confident about the fact they have an allergy. They should be taught that it’s not something to feel ashamed or embarrassed of. If a child is confident to speak about their allergies and doesn’t feel the need to hide it, it becomes far less likely that other children will see their allergy as something to pick on them for. 

A confident child is also more likely to stand up to their bullies or report them if something happens, rather than keeping it to themselves, as a lack of confidence can make a child feel they deserve what’s happening to them.

Relationship Building

It’s up to an allergic child and their parent or guardian whether they tell other children about their allergy. While school staff must be aware to help keep them safe, they should not expose that child’s condition to other children. However, you may want to encourage them to talk about and educate their friends about their allergy, to begin to remove the stigma around it. 

Research shows that having supportive friends makes allergic children less likely to take part in dangerous behaviours relating to their allergy. This is likely because they feel more accepted and less like they need to perform to fit in. Having a strong circle of friends can also reduce the likelihood of that child being bullied. 

Another method of relationship building between allergic children and their peers is through a buddy system, though this is usually more effective among younger children who may not have developed a close circle of friends. A buddy system can help the child to feel supported and gives them the opportunity to share as much or as little as they want about their allergy. 

You might also want to build a food allergy community in your school, for example by starting a club for children with allergies, and those who are just interested, to meet up and talk on a completely optional basis. Having a community and meeting others who understand them can help children feel safe and supported and build their confidence around their allergy. 

Allergy bullying can quickly become a life or death situation and this is something no child should have to worry about when they go to school. When children are able to understand each other and their differences, this will create a more tolerant and accepting environment for everyone which is why teaching allergy awareness is essential. 

Further Resources:

• How to Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom
• Precautionary Allergen Labelling: Guidance on ‘May Contain’
• Food Allergy Awareness Quiz
• Spotting the Signs of an Allergic Reaction to Food
• What is a Food Hypersensitivity?
• What are the Food Hygiene Requirements in a School?
• Anaphylaxis Awareness Training

The post How to Spot Allergy Bullying appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.