New national platform allergy assist® launched to support GPs in allergy diagnosis and management

The National Allergy Council (NAC) has introduced allergy assist®, a web‑based advisory and education service designed to improve access to specialist allergy advice for general practitioners and rural generalists across Australia.

1. The doctor obtains patient consent and submits a case through the secure system.
2. A specialist from the panel reviews the case and provides advice within 48 hours.
3. The de‑identified case is visible to other registered users, supporting collective learning.

• Improve timely access to expert allergy care regardless of location, reducing health inequities.
• Build GP confidence and capability in allergy diagnosis and treatment.
• Support more local management of allergy cases, reducing burden on tertiary services.
• Provide educational resources and evidence‑based practices for participating clinicians.

• Many children in ECEC settings present with allergy‑related conditions (for example food allergy, eczema/atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis). Enhanced GP access to specialist advice may lead to more accurate diagnosis, better‑informed care plans and safer environments for children.
• Early childhood providers can benefit indirectly from improved communication between GPs and families, leading to clearer allergy action plans, risk‑mitigation strategies and stronger partnerships with health professionals.
• As allergy management is inherently part of duty of care and risk management in ECEC settings, a health system strengthening initiative such as allergy assist® enhances the overall supporting framework for services.
• The focus on rural and remote access is pertinent to regional ECEC services where specialist resources may be more limited, reinforcing the importance of remote‑consultation and tele‑health models in allied and medical care supporting children in early learning.