A new online allergy advice platform will help regional, rural and remote GPs support their patients with free allergy advice, learning and diagnostic support.
The Allergy Assist platform gives healthcare professionals access to an education and advice hub, which has online learning modules, diagnostic support, and links to Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy resources.
The new pilot platform will enable GPs to submit de-identified patient cases via a secure system to be reviewed by a panel of clinical immunology and allergy specialists who will provide guidance within 48 hours.
The platform also supports GPs to diagnose allergies, select appropriate testing and treatments, ensure proper patient use of medications, and determine risk levels so cases can be managed locally, when appropriate, or provide referrals in cases of anaphylaxis risk.
The National Allergy Council and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) collaborated on the pilot platform, which has been funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care, in response to a parliamentary inquiry into allergies and anaphylaxis.
Allergy Assist is hosted on the College’s learning management system and is free for ACRRM members, and other doctors who apply for access in regional, rural, and remote areas across Australia.
According to the National Allergy Council, more than five million Australians are affected by allergic conditions including food allergies, insect stings and bites, allergic rhinitis and anaphylaxis.
Allergies are among the fastest growing chronic conditions in Australia affecting around one in five Australians. Food allergies alone affect 10% of babies in Australia.
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The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that Western Australia has one of the highest rates of allergic rhinitis – hay fever – in Australia.
The platform, an initiative of the National Allergy Council’s Shared Care for Allergy Project, is expected to help thousands of doctors and their patients and alleviate healthcare costs by reducing unnecessary referrals.
National Allergy Council Director and chief executive of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia Maria Said said the effect of allergies could sometimes be underestimated.
“For families in rural areas, conditions like allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, are often trivialised, yet they can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, affecting their sleep, work, and social interactions,” Ms Said said.
“People with allergic rhinitis often face long waits to see a specialist in a tertiary hospital due to triage systems that don’t prioritise their condition.”
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National Allergy Council Director and clinical immunology and allergy specialist Dr Melanie Wong said the platform was a game-changer for allergy care in rural Australia.
“By educating and upskilling doctors, it ensures better outcomes for their patients,” Dr Wong said.
“It’s a transformative tool that addresses the unique challenges of rural healthcare and empowers local doctors to deliver life-changing care closer to home.”
The pilot will run until February 2026. More information is available here.
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