§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what training provided by his Department is currently available to NHS general practitioners on the possible causes of allergies and their treatment. [74293]
§ Ms JowellThe medical education curriculum is a matter for the General Medical Council, medical schools, the relevant Medical Royal Colleges and, in the case of general practice, the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice. These bodies have a vested interest in ensuring that doctors are prepared for the conditions and circumstances they will encounter in hospitals and in general practice.
Each trainee general practitioner during their year of general practice training, their two year hospital rotation and during their pre-registration year, will almost certainly see patients with allergy related illnesses. Doctors are also encouraged to continue with their medical education after qualification and they would be expected to spend some time developing their knowledge of illnesses commonly encountered including allergic conditions.
In addition, there is a range of advice and guidance available to general practitioners and other health professionals on allergies. This includes advice on the management of anaphylaxis which the Department sent to all doctors in 1994 in Chief Medical Officer's Update No. 2.