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  • Information for Healthcare Professionals
  1. Medics
  2. Information for clinicians

Information for Healthcare Professionals

Our charity has developed a range of clinical guidance publications in collaboration with our Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP) to inform and advise healthcare professionals. Read on to find out more.

COVID-19 Guidance for Clinicians

About 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.

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. 

You can watch our 3-part video series explaining Addison's for the patient and their loved ones, produced with CoMICs, on our YouTube channel.

A volunteer at our ADSHG conference stand and our banner showing Addison's symptoms

Read more about our infographic and video collaboration with CoMICs which went on to be featured in the Guardian newspaper.

 

Out & About: Steroid Cards & Medic Alert Jewellery

NHS Steroid Emergency Card

NHS Steroid Alert 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. 

NHS National Patient Safety Alert Logo

National Patient Safety Alert

Picture of a folder with a red cross and a file poking out

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

Picture of a red and white NHS steroid card

Society for Endocrinology Adrenal Crisis page

Picture of leaflet about the NHS Steroid Emergency Card

  • 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.

ADSHG wallet cards, NHS steroid card and BSPED steroid card images

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. We provide options in our shop, advice on our blog post 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?

Photo of contents of ADSHG emergency kit - box, leaflet, vials, needles

Primary Care (GPs, Practice Nurses, Pharmacists, Dentists)

Reducing risk of acute adrenal crisis

  • How to avoid precipitating an acute adrenal crisis (Article by Professor Wass)
  • Adrenal Crisis Care Letter
  • Pass on to patients our 3-part video series which explains Addison's and what to do in the event of adrenal crisis

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 Dental Care

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

Addison's Disease: Advice for Dentists

Our Paramedic Training Sessions

Make our Paramedic Training Sessions for trusts and individuals in managing adrenal crisis part of your continuous professional development (CPD). Due to the COVID pandemic, we have moved our sessions online to Zoom.

Visit our Paramedic page to find out more

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.

Poster for ADSHG Paramedic Training

Download our poster to share with your Ambulance Trust

Endocrinologists and Endocrine Nurses

Through conferences moving online during COVID, we have created a Endocrinology Hub page. This links to information and resources our charity would normally share at Endocrine Conferences, to show the support we can offer you as healthcare professionals as well as resources for your patients and their loved ones.

An ADSHG volunteer at our conference stand

Visit our Endocrinology Conference Hub page

Photo of the Liverpool nurses 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.

Tertiary Care 

Surgical Guidelines

The ADSHG surgical guidelines are intended for the information of medics and healthcare professionals (including dentists) 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.

Nursing The Addison's Patient : Notes for Nurses

'Nursing the Addison's patient: notes for nurses' was 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.

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

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.

Read more about Research Grants and how to apply

Stay in touch! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Published: 13th March, 2019

Updated: 27th April, 2022

Author: Anonymised User

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Research Grants

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

Published: 22nd February, 2019

Updated: 10th November, 2021

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The information contained within this website is not intended to provide clinical diagnosis and/or personalised medical advice. It should not be treated as such. Always seek the advice of your doctor or a health care professional before starting any new treatment for your underlying condition. While we have taken every care to compile accurate information to reflect the current state of knowledge, we cannot guarantee its correctness and completeness. The information provided in this website does not constitute business, medical or other professional advice, and is subject to change. In no event will the Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group or any of the contributors be responsible or liable directly or indirectly, for damages or liabilities relating in any way to the use (or misuse) of information contained within or referred to in this website.

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