B12 deficiency affects at least 6% of the UK population under 60, rising to between 10% and 20% in the over 60's.
Help us drive evidence‑based change that protects lives and improves care.
An Urgent Need for Change
The B12 Alliance is calling for a thorough review and reform of NHS vitamin B12 policies, with the aim of delivering prompt, effective, and compassionate care to all patients who need it.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common but often overlooked condition in the UK, affecting millions of people and with the potential to cause serious, irreversible neurological harm if not identified and treated appropriately.
Despite this, many patients experience delays in diagnosis, inconsistent interpretation of test results, and limited access to effective, individualised treatment. As patient advocates, we regularly hear accounts of people being told their levels are “normal” despite worsening symptoms, or struggling to access treatment that allows them to maintain their health and daily functioning.
These gaps in care lead to avoidable harm and place additional pressure on NHS services, including people being unable to work and reliant on benefits, presenting at A&E with unexplained illness, and losing independence, sometimes requiring publicly funded supported living.
Key challenges:
Stories That Inspire Action
Behind every statistic is a person: a mother, a teacher, a young professional, whose life has been profoundly altered by B12 deficiency. Their stories are the reason this event exists.
“I Could Barely Walk”
After months of exhaustion, sickness and collapse, Sheila was told she had “done this to herself”. Pernicious anaemia was dismissed because she was “too young”. By the time doctors diagnosed her, she could barely walk and had spent a year deteriorating unnoticed.
"I couldn’t get out of bed"
Andrew's body stopped functioning. For weeks, he couldn’t work, think clearly, or walk properly. His vision blurred, and pain surged through his limbs. This is untreated Pernicious Anaemia. Getting diagnosed meant a fight that should never have been necessary.
"A lack of Vitamin B12 led to delusions and ultimately to taking her own life"
Georgina Owen’s story is heartbreaking for her family and the B12 advocacy community. The recent coroner’s report concluded that “she was experiencing delusions” and that “psychiatric manifestations caused by vitamin B12 deficiency are recognised”. Her father, a founder of the global research, clinician and advocacy group CluB-12, shares their experience and the need for change.
These are not isolated cases. They are the lived reality for thousands across the UK and they fuel our collective resolve to push for evidence-based reform.
Why This Reception Matters
This is a high-level advocacy event bringing together Members of Parliament, policymakers, clinicians, and patient representatives to address the challenges surrounding vitamin B12 deficiency in the UK.
Our aim is to support patient-centred care, improve diagnostic approaches, and ensure treatment pathways reflect current evidence and patient need. By connecting decision-makers directly with lived experience and clinical expertise, the reception provides an opportunity to drive informed and meaningful change.
We Aim to:
Spotlight the Human Impact
Hear directly from patients about the real-world consequences of delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment.
Foster Dialogue
Create space for discussion between policymakers, clinicians, and people with lived experience.
Accelerate Change
Support the development of coordinated, evidence-based improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes across the UK.
Event Details
Date
Thursday, 10th September 2026
Time
2:00pm – 4:00pm
Venue
Palace of Westminster
LONDON
SW1A 0AA
Who is Invited
All Members of Parliament and their researchers are welcome, including UK MP's, Scottish MSP's, Welsh MS's/AS's, and Northern Irish MLA's. Any healthcare professionals interested in attending are welcome to register their interest.
PLEASE NOTE: other than MPs in the House of Commons, attendance will be by invitation only due to onsite entrance security requirements.
Programme of Events
01
Welcome Reception
Arrival, networking, and introductions over drinks.
02
Keynote Speeches
Leading voices on the state of NHS B12 care and the case for much needed change.
03
Key Topic Stations
Experts will be on hand to discuss the current state of and solutions needed for patients, research, clinicians and pharma.
Patient Stories
PATIENT STORIES
Patients will be available to provide their lived experience of misdiagnosis, undertreatment, challenges faced living with b12 deficiency and the emotional and financial impact of the issues.
Clinicians & Diagnostics
CLINICIANS & DIAGNOSTICS
GPs, healthcare professionals, specialists, and those with direct experience of diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency will explore the challenges of diagnosis without specific tests, the resource burden of repeat testing, and the relatively low cost of effective treatment compared with the consequences of incorrect or delayed diagnoses.
Research
RESEARCH
Featuring key universities and research institutions in the area of vitamin b12 research from patient experience, clinical trials, autoimmune comorbidities and health economics.
Solutions
SOLUTIONS
Exploring evidence-based approaches developed through collaboration between pharma, digital health, regulatory bodies such as the MHRA, and NHS organisations including GIRFT and ICBs/Health Boards. Discussions will focus on practical ways to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes, while highlighting how these approaches align with key priorities in the NHS 10-year plan, including digital-first care, patient empowerment, prevention, and improving system efficiency.
Experts Who Will Be In Attendance
Mr P Julian Owen
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon - MA, MB, Bchir, FRCS (Tr & Orth) - Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge
and Founder of cluB-12
Prof. Martin Warren
Group Leader, Food Innovation Health Programme at Quadram Insititute Bioscience
Dr. Willemina Rietsema
Co-chair of the Nutrition and Lifestyle Special Interest Group at Royal College of General Practitioners
Katrina Burchell
Chair, B-12 Alliance
CEO, Pernicious Anaemia Society
Inviting Policymakers to Lead Change
We urge MPs and their Parliamentary Researchers, Peers, NHS leaders and Department of Health officials to attend and engage directly with patients, clinicians and researchers. Your presence would demonstrate clear leadership on a public health issue affecting millions across the UK, including many of your own constituents, with significant implications for both the nation’s health and its economic resilience.
Hear Direct Accounts
Listen to patients and families share the real consequences of delayed diagnosis and inadequate NHS treatment protocols.
Meet the Experts
Engage with leading clinicians and researchers presenting the evidence base for urgent policy action across the NHS.
Shape the Agenda
Join informal discussions on how better clinical practice in vitamin B12 deficiency can benefit patients and strengthen NHS efficiency.
Support Our Mission: Help Us Raise £30,000
This is our chance to change the future of B12 treatment in the UK. By coming together to raise £30,000, we can help ensure no one is left to struggle alone or suffer in silence. Every pound will support our campaign and help our message reach the people who can make real, lasting change.
£8K
Event Hosting & Advocacy
-
Hire of room at House of Commons
-
Professional hospitality throughout the event
-
Bring lived experience patients to Westminster
-
Develop information material using research based data, and provide MP briefings on solutions for B12 deficiency in clinical practice.
£10K
Educational Resources
-
Development of evidence-based toolkits for use in clinical practice
-
Post‑event advocacy and education, resourcing the follow‑up, parliamentary pressure, and media engagement needed to ensure commitments made at the reception (statements of intent & early day motion) lead to lasting change for people affected by vitamin B12 deficiency
£12K
Media & Public Engagement
-
Production of high-quality video testimonies/short documentary to humanise the statistics - putting people behind the numbers for policymakers.
-
Creation of professional PR and media kits to engage national press coverage for the event, and maximise lasting impact.
Together, We Can Change Lives
Lasting progress on vitamin B12 deficiency will only be achieved through partnership. Collaborative action can prevent avoidable harm, improve patient outcomes, and reduce unnecessary demand on NHS services, delivering better care while using public resources more effectively. Working together, we have the opportunity to create sustainable change that saves both lives and NHS costs.
There are three powerful ways to stand with the B12 Alliance and help make 10th September 2026 a defining moment for patient advocacy in the UK.
Spread the Word
Share this page, talk to your MP, and help amplify our message. The more voices we have, the louder our call for change becomes.
Post our JustGiving page on social media. Use the hashtag #B12AllianceWestminster.
Who We Are: The B12 Alliance
Founded in 2023, the B12 Alliance is a UK-based nonprofit public health coalition uniting patient advocacy groups and healthcare professionals. We bring together lived experience and clinical expertise to raise awareness, share research, and champion meaningful change.
Our mission: to transform NHS policy and clinical practice so that vitamin B12 deficiency is properly recognised, swiftly diagnosed, and effectively treated, allowing lives to be improved across the United Kingdom, while also supporting our international partners to advance the same standards of care globally.
Our Core Pillars
Awareness
Raising public and clinical understanding of B12 deficiency
Advocacy
Driving reform in diagnosis and treatment protocols
Research
Sharing evidence to inform better policy and practice
The members of the B12-Alliance are:
