UK’s first strategy for allergy education developed by Southampton allergy professor

A new national strategy for allergy education, developed by a team led by a University of Southampton allergy expert, will help health care professionals to deliver timely, individualised care and support to patients and families with allergy.

The BSACI National Allergy Education Strategy will ensure quality allergy education for all healthcare professionals, in a manner that is appropriate to their professional roles.
It will help them manage patients with allergic diseases and close the gap in allergy education.

Judith Holloway, a National Teaching Fellow and Programme Lead of the MSc Allergy in the Faculty of Medicine, led the multi-disciplinary team of allergy educators and clinical experts writing the strategy. It has been launched by the BSACI. The team worked alongside key stakeholders, and the strategy addresses education and training of all HCPs in undergraduate, community and hospital settings.

Professor Holloway, who is the BSACI Allergy Education Network Chair, said: “For too long patients have been let down because there is not enough good quality evidence-based education for healthcare professionals to empower them to manage their patients’ allergies effectively. Patients deserve better care and support, which relies on great allergy education.”

Adam Fox, BSACI Past President, added: “With exciting advances in the fields now looking to start changing clinical practice, it’s essential that we have the opportunity to grow and extend the services that we offer to ensure that every patient with allergy in the UK has access to high quality care. One of the key elements of this will be ensuring that allergy education of the highest quality is available.”

Medical professionals and students working in allergy can support this radical reform of what and how education is delivered so that gaps in practice are filled. To view the strategy click here, and to find out more about the MSc Allergy, click here.