Supporting BSACI through legacy giving

Fiona Rayner Chief Executive

Thank you to everyone who completed the recent survey about gifts in wills. Your responses are already proving useful for shaping our future plans. The number of people living with allergies in the UK is growing by 5% a year, and worryingly, A & E departments are seeing a rise in anaphylaxis admissions. As part of the NASG we spoke to Gillian Keegan Minister of State for Care at the Department of Health and Social Care about the three mains aims:

•To appoint a national lead for allergy.

Given the major cost to patients and the

NHS over so many years, this requires leadership with a national clinical director to implement a national strategy and improve primary care and specialist services. • Upskill and grow the NHS workforce in allergy, to cover primary care and specialists (in adult and paediatric allergy).

•Improve allergy awareness/knowledge in primary care. This will be a component in developing an integrated care model for allergy. Allergy needs to be brought into the mainstream of education for GPs in training, and for qualified GPs. The survey showed that 17% of people say they have or would consider remembering BSACI with a gift in their will. Many of those who responded positively were particularly passionate about allergy care, with the majority of those having personal experience of allergy themselves or through a loved one. They were also particularly likely to feel a sense of personal connection to BSACI, and to be more trusting of the Society. However, regardless of interest in gifts in wills, respondents were united in their desire to provide high quality care and improve the quality of life for people with allergies. The research programme is currently ongoing with some members having kindly offered to take part in in-depth interviews to explore their experiences more deeply. We hope to share more information in the next issue of Allergy Update.

Primary Care training days

BSACI is keen to improve allergy knowledge and competency in primary care, and part of this initiative involves organising Allergy Training Days for Primary Care Health Professionals. The events are proposed by BSACI local allergy services (allergy clinics) and funded by BSACI. This funding is made possible by an education grant from ALK Abello and Thermo Fisher. Successful applications will receive an exclusive Education Grant of up to £3000 (up to £500 for a virtual event). BSACI has so far funded 77 training days, training around 3300 primary care practitioners. Events have taken place all over the UK including one event in Stornaway!

Selection Process

Applications are considered by a panel selected by BSACI and comprise of GPs and allergy specialists in both primary and secondary care. The decision will be based on the following criteria: • Producing a Primary care focused programme with both adult and paediatric components • Priority will be given to centres with limited exposure to allergy training • Priority will be given to centres with limited funding opportunities to hold a similar event. The feedback we have received from primary care practitioners who have attended an allergy training day has been that the training days are proving to be extremely beneficial in the day-to-day allergy management of patients in their practices. To apply for funding for an allergy training day for primary care practitioners, please send an email to marie@bsaci.org. All applications will be assessed by the committee and notified by email of the outcome of each application.