2 minute read
NASG/Parliamentary roundtable
from Issue 38
NASG/Parliamentary round table
Ms Mandy East
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National Allergy Strategy Group (NASG) Parliamentary Officer Following the launch in October 2021 of Meeting the Challenges of the National Allergy Crisis in conjunction with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy, members of the NASG met with the Minister of State for Care and Health, Gillian Keegan MP and members of her team for a round table meeting and laid out the key areas for improvement as follows: • The creation of a National Lead – an Allergy Champion • Increase in the number of specialist posts • Improvements in primary care education
The Minister was very open to the discussions and showed a keen interest in the subject with a promise to take each ask forward for further discussion. As a result, we have now had a meeting to discuss the creation of an Allergy Champion and are working on how this role should look; have one scheduled to outline improvements in workforce and will be booking a date shortly to start a dialogue on improvements in primary care.
As always, the National Allergy Strategy Group works as a coalition with its strength being the coming together of the BSACI with the patient groups Allergy UK and the Anaphylaxis Campaign. The group continues to receive support from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Allergy chaired by Jon Cruddas MP and will shortly be holding the AGM for the group to maintain it’s position within Westminster for another year.
At the end of June the chair of the NASG will pass from Dr Pam Ewan to Professor Adam Fox. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Ewan for many years of dedicated work to improve NHS allergy services and the lives for those living with allergic disease. Dr Ewan was a founding member of the NASG 20 years ago and has steered the group through the many reports and inquiries over the last two decades and been at the forefront of our campaigning including speaking at all our Parliamentary receptions and leading the publication of Meeting the Challenges of the National Allergy Crisis. Dr Ewan will continue to be part of the NASG and give her time and experience to the group as the work continues; Professor Fox will take on the role of chair from the start of July, and we wish him all the best for the future of the group.
New website content
Patient information
BSACI has produced patient information in line with current published BSACI management guidelines. To help patients understand more about Anaphylaxis, we have developed a new patient information leaflet. The publication includes key information on the nature of the condition, its management and treatment. This is a BSACI members-only resource, produced primarily for clinicians to provide to patients during consultation. Access to the resource can be found at www.bsaci.org/professional-resources/publications/patient-information
Allergy Management
The Allergy Management section of the website has been developed to provide health care professionals with a valuable resource for specific allergic conditions. BSACI approached specialists with expert knowledge in each of the conditions to provide the content. The information - Food Allergy, Drug Allergy, Skin Allergy, Urticaria and Immunotherapy, has been divided into sub sections to make the navigation of the topic seamless. Take a look at
