The eAllergy Helpdesk was launched this week for the benefit of health professionals in correctly identifying and diagnosing allergies. The helpdesk has been designed to provide quick evidence-based advice to help primary healthcare providers more effectively assess and treat patients with allergies.
This will be of help to GPs dealing with complex or unusual cases and hopes to ensure that the patient receives the most appropriate care. A survey by the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that 71% of GPs rated NHS allergy care as poor and that 62% of GPs felt they needed more allergy-focused education.
In response to this need, The eAllergy Helpdesk will be able to provide guidance and answer any allergy query within 72 hours. If particular areas are found to be referred to the helpdesk frequently it will help to identify gaps in the knowledge of GPs and can be used to develop further training for healthcare professionals.
Diagnoses of allergies are rising dramatically in the UK and are thought to affect about one in three people with 40% of teenagers suffering from hay fever or allergic rhinitis.
