Information for Healthcare Professionals

Our charity's guidance is created in collaboration with our Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP) to inform and advise healthcare professionals. Read on to find out more.

About Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency

For a bite size look at adrenal insufficiency, watch CoMIC's brilliant video infographic explaining everything adrenal insufficiency, from aetiology, sign and symptoms, investigations, management, adrenal crisis and the vital patient training in sick day rules, administering the emergency injection and carrying the NHS steroid card. To learn more read 'What is Addison's disease?'

The content of CoMICs video was critically reviewed by Dr Alessandro Prete, University of Birmingham; Professor Wiebke Arlt, University of Birmingham; Dr Helen Simpson, UCLH and ADSHG Medical Trustee; Professor Stefanie Hahner, University of Würzburg, Germany. Thank you to Dr Punith Kempegowda from Simulation via Instant Messaging – Birmingham Advance (SIMBA) for their permission to share this fantastic resource. On YouTube, watch our videos explaining Addison's for the patient and those who support them, produced with CoMICs.

Endocrinologists and Endocrine Nurses

Created with the Society for Endocrinology, learn more about the Consultation Reference Guide for adult patients with Addison's disease (AD) This document is a useful consultation guide for endocrinologists and endocrine nurses to support patients with AD at diagnosis, their follow up reviews, treatment monitoring and shared-decision making.

Endocrine Hub

If you can't attend Endocrinology conferences, there's no need to miss out! Visit our Endocrinology Hub page, where we've compiled the latest information and resources to support you and your patients.

Visit our Endocrinology Conference Hub page

Endocrine Nurses

Digital steroid coding system: Endocrine Nurse Specialist Becci Watling, from the Royal Bournemouth Hospital updates us on the implementation of their digital steroid coding system, a system which identifies all patients admitted with adrenal insufficiency. Visit our blog article 'Ensuring Sufficiency in Addison's when an inpatient' to learn more.

The 4E: Engage, Educate, Equip and Empower: The benefits of care coordination are clear, yet it is difficult to access. Here Sherwin Criseno, Nurse Consultant in Endocrinology at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the European Society of Endocrinology Nurse Committee, explains 'The 4E’ care coordination initiative, used to support people with Addison’s, adrenal insufficiency and clinicians, and the positive impact this has on quality of life.

Addison's awareness Hospital Stands: If you're an Endocrine Nurse and would like to set up an awareness stand in your hospital, please download our information poster to learn more and how we can support you! Read our Blog for inspiration and to hear how Endocrine Nurse Joanne Brown created her stand at Stockport NHS Hospital.

Video Steroid Education Sessions: Click to read about the Liverpool Nurses who moved their steroid education sessions for their patients with adrenal insufficiency online during COVID-19. If our charity can support you in creating similar resources or you would like more information please get in touch.

Surgical Guidelines

The ADSHG surgical guidelines are intended for the information of medics and healthcare professionals and have been developed for the ADSHG by our Clinical Advisory Panel. They explain what level of extra medication and monitoring patients with Addison's disease will need in the event of most types of minor or major surgery or dental work.

Read the Surgical Guidelines

Nursing The Addison's Patient: Notes for Nurses

'Nursing the Addison's patient: notes for nurses' is written with hospital ward nursing staff in mind, for those times when anyone with Addison's becomes an inpatient. This might be for elective surgery or during the recovery from an adrenal crisis.

Primary Care

Free RCGP Training Module

In this 15-minute eLearning module titled 'Adrenal insufficiency with a focus on Addison's disease', we discuss the causes of adrenal insufficiency (AI), how to recognise and diagnose the condition in primary care, and management. We also cover adrenal crisis, how to recognise this condition, and the emergency treatment which should be delivered before hospital transfer. Read our News article to find out more about the making of this course.

The eModule can be accessed from the RCGP website: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/addisonsdisease

Diagnosing Addison's: A Guide For GPs

This leaflet, 'Diagnosing Addison's: a guide for GPs', has been developed for the ADSHG by our Clinical Advisory Panel, led by Professor John Wass. It outlines the role of the GP in the early detection of Addison's disease and covers information on symptoms and clinical signs, primary care investigations and referral.

Caring for The Addison's Patient: Information For GPs

This leaflet, 'Caring for the patient with Addison's: information for GPs', has been developed for the ADSHG by our Clinical Advisory Panel, led by Professor John Wass. It outlines the role of the GP in managing Addison’s disease at each stage in the UK patient life cycle from diagnosis to old age.

Order paper copies of our leaflets

Dental Care

Visit our dedicated dental care page for more information.

Paramedic CPD Training Sessions

Make our Paramedic Training Sessions for trusts and individuals in managing adrenal crisis part of your continuous professional development (CPD). The sessions are an educational hour on Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency set in context with the JRCALC guidelines for emergency management. Each session is complemented by members’ own experiences, so alongside the theory you hear real life accounts from real people.

Visit our Paramedic page to find out more

Out & About: Steroid Cards & Medic Alert Jewellery

NHS Steroid Emergency Card

NHS Steroid Emergency Card: developed by the Society for Endocrinology (SfE), Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), the card should be issued to all patients at risk of adrenal crisis. The QR code printed on the card takes you straight to the Society for Endocrinology Adrenal Crisis page.
Alongside the card, new medical guidance on the prevention and emergency management of adrenal insufficiency was released and a National Patient Safety Alert.
The British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (BSPED) have produced a Paediatric Steroid Treatment Card for Adrenal Insufficiency
To learn more on education on steroid safety with the steroid emergency card and how to order cards for your patients - please visit the Society for Endocrinology Adrenal Crisis page
Please direct your patients to our newly diagnosed page, so they can learn about the importance of carrying steroid cards, medical alert jewellery and injection kits.
Please download our steroid card posters - both for patients and healthcare professionals.

National Patient Safety Alert

Guidance for the prevention and emergency management of adult patients with adrenal insufficiency.

Society for Endocrinology

Adrenal Crisis page

Pulse Today article by ADSHG Medical Trustees: issue March 2021 pgs 34-35.

ADSHG Adrenal Crisis Emergency Wallet Card: the emergency wallet card contains advice authored by the ADSHG Clinical Advisory Panel, on the treatment required to prevent an adrenal crisis in the event of serious injury or illness. It is available in printed form and is sent free to every member when they join the charity as a postal member. Additional cards can be bought in our shop.

Learn about all steroid emergency cards - for adults and children

Adrenal Crisis Care Letter

This simple adrenal crisis protocol gives emergency medical treatment guidance for paramedics or hospital staff in the event of a person with Addison's suffering an adrenal crisis. This letter should be signed by your doctor. This document is also available in eight foreign languages for those who live or travel abroad.

Emergency Injection Kit

Every patient should be issued with a prescription for hydrocortisone IM for emergency use as required for a hydrocortisone emergency injection kit and advised of training for patients and carers/families on their use. Some Endocrinology centres provide the kit as a whole (box including the syringes and needles alongside the prescription) others ask the patients to provide their own storage solution.

Provision of a hydrocortisone emergency injection kit is standard practice and is the advice given by the ADSHG Clinical Advisory Panel, Society for Endocrinology, on the NHS page for Addison's disease and in the RCGP eModule, for the prevention of an acute adrenal crisis.

We raise awareness in our community through our #ShareYourKit campaign, provide clearly labelled kit options in our shop, advice on how to create your own kit in our blog post, provide picture instructions and training videos online.

Visit our "Why should I give my adrenal insufficiency patient an emergency injection kit?" page for further guidance and links to expert clinical guidance, regarding the provision of a hydrocortisone emergency injection kit for a person with Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency, for the prevention of an acute adrenal crisis.

Why should I give my adrenal insufficiency patient an emergency injection kit?

Download or Order our Leaflets and Publications

Explore and download our leaflets and publications from our website including Managing Your Addison's, Caring for the Addison's Patient, and Diagnosing Addison's.

Order paper copies of our leaflets

More information on reducing risk of acute adrenal crisis:

We couldn't carry out this work without the expert support of our Addison's Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP), a group of healthcare professionals with an interest in adrenal medicine. They advise us on our clinical guidelines, write medical commentaries and review our publications for us. They are led by Professor John Wass of the Churchill Hospital, Oxford. We are always looking for more healthcare professionals to join us, in whatever capacity you are able with your work commitments. If you are interested, please get in touch.

Trophy with an ADSHG labelled magnifying glass

Are you interested in undertaking research in this area of Endocrinology? We fund vital research projects into Addison's disease, adrenal insufficiency and steroid dependency.

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Latest

Sponsor a Member this September

Could you sponsor a member this September? This September we hope to raise £640 to fund 20 Sponsored Memberships. Can you help us?
Research Survey: families & young people with adrenal insufficiency

Calling families and young people with adrenal insufficiency! Please consider completing this survey to help develop national education standards and resources for sick day and emergency management with BSPED.
Karen's Dance-a-Thon

I'm raising money for the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group so that they can continue to support people with Addison's and adrenal insufficiency.
NICE releases new guidance for adrenal insufficiency

NICE has published its first-ever national guidance for the identification and management of adrenal insufficiency.

Sick Day Rules

Minor ailments can affect anyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition very differently. Things like vomiting, diarrhoea, colds and flu could cause an adrenal crisis. It’s important that you spot the early symptoms of a bug or cold and adjust your steroid replacement medication.
Adrenal Crisis - Emergency Help

Adrenal crisis is a time-critical, life-threatening emergency and must be treated immediately. Read the guidance on treating a steroid-dependent patient in adrenal crisis.
What is Addison's Disease?

Find out more about Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency and and how they are treated.
The Emergency Injection for the treatment of Adrenal Crisis

Understanding what an Emergency Injection kit is, how to inject and how important it is to use the injection during an Adrenal Crisis.
Why Salt?

Why do people with Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency crave salty, acidic and sour foods at diagnosis, and then salt remains our “pick me up” when diagnosed? Professor Simon Pearce explains the connection between aldosterone, fludrocortisone and why you should always listen to your salt cravings.
Coronavirus Vaccines and Adrenal Insufficiency

Everyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition should get the coronavirus vaccine and boosters to reduce their risk of getting coronavirus. This is because people who are steroid-dependent are at increased risk of needing hospital care if they get coronavirus, due to the risk of adrenal crisis.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Our medics have been keeping an eye on pandemic developments. This page is up to date but we will continue updating it regularly as we find out more information from the government.
Updated NHS Steroid Card Released

Following the early release of the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card back in March to keep patients with Addison's or adrenal insufficiency safe during the COVID-19 crisis, the NHS steroid card has been updated and physical copies will be available to order from Tuesday 18th August 2020 for hospital teams!
Addison's & Adrenal Insufficiency: Advice for Dentists

The ADSHG guidelines offer illustrative guidance for major and minor dental procedures. It is important to recognise the physical stress of any invasive dental procedure and to ensure that adequate glucocorticoid cover is provided for steroid-dependent patients.
Surgical Guidelines

The ADSHG surgical guidelines are intended for the information of your medical team or your dentist and have been developed by our Clinical Advisory Panel.

Research Grants

Our charity is at the forefront of medical research into Addison's Disease. Help us fund medical researchers working in this important field of endocrine research. Read more