Sharon Harley is from Burrell Creek, 170km north of Newcastle, NSW.
She has struggled for years with severe allergic rhinitis, enduring persistent chronic fatigue and eye irritation.
“I suffer from severe sinus headaches, fogginess, fatigue, and itchy, watery eyes. It affects my work and my social life because I spend my weekends just trying to recover,” she said.
Despite seeking help from her GP, standard medications provided little relief.
Eventually, she was referred to a specialist, but that was just the start of another struggle.
“We only had a visiting specialist coming to Taree once a month. I finally got an appointment after several months, but then she stopped coming, and my only option was to travel nearly three hours to her practice. That wasn’t feasible for me, so I had to start the referral process all over again,” Sharon said.
The long wait times and additional travel costs meant Sharon endured ongoing fatigue and sinus pain before she could start immunotherapy.
“I spent almost a year waiting for treatment,” she said.
“If my doctor had access to more up-to-date allergy information and specialist support, I might have been able to start treatment much sooner.”
‘Australia is the allergy capital of the world’
Sharon’s experience is not unique.
For , accessing specialist medical care can be a challenge, especially for those suffering from allergic conditions.
With over five million Australians affected by allergies, according to the Department of Health and Aged Care, conditions such as food allergies, allergic rhinitis, insect sting allergies, and anaphylaxis require timely management. Yet, for many in remote communities, specialist support is often out of reach.
Maria Said, CEO of Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia and co-chair of the National Allergy Council, said more needs to be done to bridge the “information gap” between healthcare professionals and specialists.
“Australia is often referred to as the allergy capital of the world, and yet we continue to see a huge information gap between some GPs and allergy specialists, the training that health professionals receive on allergies is minimal.
“Even those in metropolitan areas struggle to access specialist care,” Said said.
A dangerous tick bite
Paul (not his real name), who lives on a rural property in Tamban on the mid-north coast of NSW, never thought a tick bite could threaten his life.
Despite growing up in the country and having no previous severe reactions, he experienced anaphylaxis after removing a tick from his neck.
His first reaction was mild, and in hindsight, he said he regretted not seeking medical attention.
But the second time was far worse, while driving home from a job, he scratched off another tick and immediately felt his throat closing, his tongue tingling, and his ability to swallow rapidly deteriorating.
By the time he reached the hospital fifteen minutes later, he was struggling to stay upright.
Staff administered adrenaline, but he was discharged without an action plan or clear instructions on what to do next.
Instead of getting guidance from medical professionals, Paul has relied on other people with anaphylaxis to learn how to manage his condition.
Access to reliable allergy information
“Many patients resort to making their own diagnoses using unreliable information like ‘Doctor Google’. When it comes to allergies or anaphylaxis, that’s not a gamble worth taking,” Said said.
For people like Sharon and Paul, access to timely and accurate allergy care could mean the difference between managing their condition and living in constant fear of the next reaction.
Recognising the growing need for accessible allergy care, the National Allergy Council, in partnership with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), has launched , a pilot online platform aimed at providing GPs and Rural Generalists with specialist allergy advice.
This service aims to improve patient access in rural, remote, and First Nations communities by supporting local doctors in diagnosing, treating, and managing patients locally, resulting in reduced wait times for specialist consultations and minimising patient travel.
Said said while initiatives like Allergy Assist are a leap forward, improving allergy care in rural and remote Australia requires broader awareness and a multi-faceted approach.
“Limited specialist access, the complexity of allergy management, and environmental factors unique to these regions mean that ongoing investment and systemic change are essential.”