Opening Paediatric Allergy Policy Series Tackling Cow's Milk Protein Allergy Care Gaps

In March 2026, Global Policy Network held the first roundtable of its Paediatric Allergy Policy Series, bringing together allergy specialists, dietitians, pharmacists, health visitors, and commissioners to ask an important question: how do we do better for families living with cow's milk protein allergy? The resulting report is both an honest assessment of where the system falls short and a clear roadmap for change.

What Is CMPA and Why Does It Matter?

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) affects up to 3% of infants in the UK. It's one of the most common allergies in early childhood, and often the first sign of a lifelong allergic trajectory. And yet, for thousands of families, getting a diagnosis still means months of confusion, repeated GP visits, and a child in unnecessary pain. The question is: why?.

A Baby Cries. A Parent Worries. Five Visits Later, Still No Answer

CMPA is genuinely hard to spot, its symptoms mimic normal baby behaviour. Reflux, colic, eczema, loose stools. Easy to dismiss. Easy to miss. But the delays families face go far beyond clinical complexity. On average, it takes five GP visits to reach a diagnosis. For 15% of families, it takes ten. Nearly half wait more than three months. As one Consultant Paediatrician at the roundtable put it: "that's why cases land up in secondary care, not necessarily because they're complex, but because of that difficulty accessing appropriate and timely review and diagnosis." Earlier recognition, better tools, and clearer pathways could change this for every family.

Every Child Deserves the Same Care, Regardless of Postcode or Background

In the UK today, a child's chance of timely CMPA care is shaped too much by postcode, income, and ethnicity, not by clinical need alone. Families in deprived areas wait the longest. Nearly 40% of babies born in England and Wales in 2023 were from an ethnic minority background. These are the families that face compounding barriers that go beyond access to appointments. Milk ladder guidance printed in English and featuring unfamiliar foods is of limited use to families who cook differently or don't speak English as their first language. As care increasingly moves online, families without reliable devices or connectivity risk being left behind entirely. Language, culture, and digital access are not peripheral concerns but core safety issues.

Clearer Ownership, Better Outcomes

One of the report's key findings is structural: responsibility for CMPA is currently spread across too many hands, with no single body clearly accountable for how the pathway is performing. When Allergy UK asked all 42 Integrated Care Boards for basic data on allergy patients in their area, only 9 could answer. "It's a mess" said one policy officer at the roundtable. The report's recommendations directly address this. Establishing clear ownership, routine data collection, and defined accountability across ICBs would be a game-changer for consistency and equity in CMPA care.

The Roadmap Is Ready, Now Comes the Action The report sets out concrete steps for change at every level of the system.

For DHSC and NHS England: embed CMPA within the prevention agenda of the NHS 10-Year Plan and establish clear national ownership of the allergy pathway.

For Integrated Care Boards: collect routine data on CMPA volumes and pathway performance, and commission culturally adapted, multilingual resources for families.

For frontline teams: strengthen training for GPs, health visitors, and pharmacists so that confident, early recognition becomes the norm.

The UK has clinical guidelines, dedicated professionals, and a genuine policy appetite for prevention. The full report makes clear what targeted, system-level coordination could unlock: for children, for families, and for an NHS that benefits when problems are caught early.

Read the full report at www.globalpolicynetwork.com/reports