Recent years have seen an increase in the number of people developing allergies and hospital referrals for allergy-related conditions. At the same time, there is a lack of doctors with specialised knowledge of allergies.

A new regional allergy strategy aims to change that. Politicians in the Capital Region of Denmark have allocated DKK 3 million every year from 2026 to train more allergologists. An allergologist is a doctor who specialises in allergies. 

This is according to Jacob Rosenberg (Conservative People’s Party), a member of the Regional Council in the Capital Region of Denmark, who originally made the proposal to improve the field of allergies:

​“There are people who struggle daily with eczema, breathing difficulties or runny eyes and nose, and it affects their quality of life. Many also experience longer waiting times for allergy assessment and treatment. With this strategy, we want to boost allergy care and reduce waiting times in the field".

"We will start by training more allergy specialists for the benefit of patients throughout the future Region of Eastern Denmark,” he says, referring to the merger of the Capital Region of Denmark and Region Zealand in 2027.

Specialists are expected to cover the need on Zealand and the islands

The specialist programme is a two-year programme that runs on a rolling basis, with one new specialist graduating each year. After 11 years, 10 doctors will have received specialist training. 

The doctors will be trained at the Capital Region of Denmark’s Allergy Centre at Gentofte Hospital and are expected to meet the needs in the Capital Region of Denmark and Region Zealand.

“There is an acute shortage of allergy specialists since the speciality of allergology was discontinued in 2004. That’s why it’s great that we will be training more specialists in the field over the coming years". 

"As part of the strategy, more of the treatment of patients with allergies will also be provided by general practitioners and specialised medical practices, which is fully in line with the healthcare reform. That way, we make the best possible use of resources,” says Jacob Rosenberg (Conservative People's Party).

Furthermore, cross-sector collaboration must be improved. This means, for example, that children’s wards, general practitioners and specialist practices will work more closely with the Allergy Centre at Gentofte, and that healthcare professionals can receive advice and mentoring and, in the long term, take courses and stay at the Allergy Centre.  

According to the strategy, there is also a need to improve allergy research and prevention by increasing public awareness.

The strategy has been adopted in the Capital Region of Denmark, but will benefit all allergy patients in the future Region of Eastern Denmark.