In its advocacy and engagement work, the BSI-CIPN has continued to strengthen its voice within the sector. Over recent months, the BSI-CIPN has responded to a number of national consultations that will impact the future of clinical immunology services, putting forward the perspectives of its expert members within national initiatives to support patient care and service efficiency. These consultations provide important opportunities to highlight the challenges facing the specialty, advocate for system-wide improvements, and ensure that the needs of patients and the clinical immunology workforce are recognised in national planning.
Our recent submissions listed below cover the Government's 10-Year Workforce Plan, newborn screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), and extending prescribing responsibilities for allied health professionals.
BSI-CIPN response to the Government’s 10-Year Workforce Plan consultation
The BSI-CIPN has submitted evidence to the Government’s 10-Year Workforce Plan, highlighting the critical role of clinical immunology services in delivering preventative care that reduces hospital admissions and supports long-term patient outcomes. We noted that without these specialist services, many patients would require repeated hospital attendances for treatment and acute care.
Our response also emphasises the urgent need for accurate workforce data and a nationally driven full-service review for clinical immunology and allergy within England. This will help plan staffing, training, and resource allocation to meet growing patient demand and ensure services are safe and sustainable.
We called for strategic investment in support staff, IT systems, laboratory infrastructure, and digital pathology to improve productivity and efficiency. As the importance of the immune system in managing a wide range of conditions becomes clearer, the specialist skills of the clinical immunology workforce will be increasingly vital across multiple specialties.
We will continue to keep the community informed as the plan develops. Read the full response here.
BSI-CIPN response to the SCID newborn screening consultation
The BSI-CIPN responded to the Department of Health and Social Care consultation on newborn screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), supporting early detection strategies for this rare but serious condition. We emphasised that, although not yet fully cost-effective, the programme is extremely clinically effective and should continue, particularly if combined with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) screening in the future.
We recommended extending SCID screening across the whole UK to address geographical inequities, and highlighted the importance of careful genetic testing protocols to avoid missed diagnoses. We also supported long-term follow-up of affected infants, improvements to parent information and counselling, and standardised clinical algorithms for managing non-SCID T-cell lymphopenia.
Overall, our response aimed to ensure the programme continues to deliver safe, equitable, and evidence-based care for all newborns. Read the full response here.
Consultation on extending prescribing responsibilities
The BSI-CIPN also submitted comments to the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on extending medicines responsibilities for allied health professionals at the end of October.
Our response highlighted the importance of comprehensive drug allergy training to ensure safe prescribing practices, particularly in perioperative and acute care settings. We emphasised that appropriate education is essential to help prescribers distinguish between side effects and allergies, safeguarding patient safety as prescribing roles expand.