Rebecca Batt
RGN/RSCN, Asthma Diploma, BSc (Hons) PICU Nursing, MSc Allergy (Imperial College, London), Non-Medical Prescriber (LSBU)
My nursing career has encompassed a breadth of experience across leading paediatric centres in the UK and abroad. I began my career on the Paediatric and Neonatal Surgical Ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, before moving to the Paediatric Intensive Care Units at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Following this, I joined Asthma UK as a Nurse Specialist, which led to my transition into the field of allergy in 2007, when I was appointed as the Paediatric Allergy Clinical Nurse Specialist at King’s College Hospital, London. I hold an MSc in Allergy from Imperial College London, which I completed with distinction, and I am a qualified Non-Medical Prescriber.
I subsequently served as the Advanced Nurse Practitioner before taking up my current role as Nurse Consultant in Paediatric Allergy at Evelina London Children’s Hospital. As Senior Clinical Lead for the nurse-led allergy service, I oversee clinical practice, service development, and innovation in patient care.
In addition to my clinical leadership role, I am actively involved in professional education and national advocacy for allergy nursing. I am a Course Director for the Allergy Academy, where I develop and deliver training programmes for healthcare professionals, and I am currently the Chair of the BSACI Nurses Committee. I am also a regular speaker at national conferences and study days, contributing to the advancement of paediatric allergy nursing across the UK.
Ciara Whitfield
‘I began my nursing career as a staff nurse on an acute respiratory ward at Basingstoke Hospital. Driven by a strong interest in specialist care, I went on to become an Asthma and Allergy Staff Nurse at University Hospital Southampton, where I later progressed to the role of Asthma and Allergy Clinical Nurse Specialist.
In my current role, I lead nurse-led allergy assessment and treatment clinics and play an active role within the multidisciplinary team, contributing to both patient care and service development. Alongside my clinical practice, I have completed advanced training in history taking and physical assessment, diagnostic and clinical decision-making, and a Master’s degree in Allergy.
Key achievements include attaining status as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy as part of my Master’s programme and completing a 12-month secondment as a Clinical Skills Facilitator at the University of Southampton. I have presented a research poster at the British Thoracic Society summer meeting on biologics homecare, and established the first adult nurse-led allergy assessment clinic at University Hospital Southampton. Following the success of this service, I was eager to present a session on nurse-led clinics at the BSACI nurses’ study day.’
Lynsey Perkins
RSCN, BA (Hons), BSc (Hons) PG Cert Allergy (University of Southampton), Non-Medical Prescriber (University of Sheffield)
My NHS career began with the National Blood Service, which led to becoming a phlebotomist for the Clinical Chemistry Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where my passion for paediatric nursing began. After qualifying I worked on a general paediatric medical ward for many years & developed an interest in specialist nursing. Following this, I became a Paediatric Allergy Clinical Nurse Specialist.
In my current role as lead Allergy Clinical Nurse Specialist, I oversee clinical practice & service development, working closely with the wider multi-disciplinary team, providing a focal point for children, their families and other health professionals requiring information or education regarding allergic disease.
I aim to deliver an expert, efficient and high-quality service to patients attending the allergy department, providing nurse-led allergy clinics. I completed an Advanced Clinical Assessment Course, a PG Cert in Allergy and I am a qualified Non-Medical Prescriber. I have been the secretary for the BSACI Nurses Committee and have now taken on the role of social media representative.