We at Sanofi believe that every patient has the right to receive equitable and high-quality care. With this ambition in mind, we have identified the key barriers in the dermatology pathway and developed an optimal care toolkit.
This has included hosting a fireside chat with three leading dermatology specialists across England, chaired by a significant advocate for patients in this space, to support us in creating five core principles of optimal care in atopic dermatitis (AD):
- Suzi Holland, Chief Executive Officer of Eczema Outreach Support (Chair)
- Dr Marisa Taylor, Consultant Dermatologist at Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals Trust
- Lucy Moorhead, Nurse Consultant in inflammatory skin disease at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Founation Trust
- Dr Anna Trigell, General Practitioner with extended role in Dermatology, GP at HMP Littlehey
Please see below for some important insights from the conversation:
Treatment “is not didactic. It is a partnership. We decide together what is best.” – Dr Marisa Taylor
Dr Marisa Taylor, a consultant dermatologist at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, speaks here about the importance of actively involving patients in discussions about their own treatment.
"Unfortunately, at the moment, there isn’t a good pathway for training GPs with extended roles.” – Dr Anna Trigell
Dr Anna Trigell, a GP with a specialist interest in dermatology, talks here about the vital need for a pathway to train GPs with extended roles in dermatology to reduce waiting times and improve patient care in atopic dermatitis.
“It’s not just a skin condition, it does affect every aspect of a patient’s life.” – Lucy Moorhead
Lucy Moorhead, a nurse consultant in inflammatory skin disease, spoke about the mental health challenges and barriers to support for patients with atopic dermatitis.
Using insights from the fireside chat, Sanofi have co-developed an optimal care toolkit to aid clinical teams and integrated care systems in implementing optimal care pathways for the diagnosis, treatment and management of AD.
The five key principes of Optimal Care are outlined below:
1. Primary care teams should be provided with core education opportunities and clear guidelines for dermatology care
2. Clinicians and patients should have access to detailed information and recommended next steps concerning the range of severity within AD
3. Physical treatment for AD should be provided in lockstep with mental health support
4. Patient empowerment and partnership is fundamental to optimal care
5. Early identification leads to swift and agile progression to the next step in a patient’s management
Insights from the fireside chat will be used to inform an optimal care toolkit which is currently in development with further clips to be uploaded in future.
MAT-XU-2303889 V4.0
Date of preparation: May 2025