The Combined Approach to atopic eczema described on this website can be provided as a treatment for patients with chronic atopic eczema in two formats: Self-Help, and Clinic-Based. Of the two, self-help is the most important, and indeed most fundamental!
Self-Help
The book The Eczema Solution is recommended for those who would like to follow this format. As the author Sue Armstrong-Brown advises, having practitioner support alongside use of the book is important. The appendix of the book has a suggested letter to explain The Combined Approach to the General Practitioner. One of our Information Leaflets might also be useful for involving help from any appropriate health care professional, especially for prescriptions for recommended anti-inflammatory treatment.
The above book was written before this website became available. As the book is read and followed, referral to this website for further advice and support may be very useful, and questions about The Combined Approach can be shared here, for us to answer and help you with.
The self-help book covers the way The Combined Approach is used for Adults and Older Children. The programme needs to be adapted for younger children and their parents, as detailed in Chapter 5 of the practitioner’s manual: Working with Younger Children. Many further self-help tips for working with younger children will be found on this website.
See also
Anon Talks to DrB, and Iman Talks to DrB
Clinic-Based
The Combined Approach to atopic eczema in a clinic-based format as described in our Practitioner’s Manual is available in the UK via the National Health Service, where the General Practice is the first place to ask. In both primary and secondary health care, professionals of various disciplines may be involved.
In UK secondary care, NHS dermatology departments generally may be familiar with and able to offer The Combined Approach. There are also specialist psychodermatology services. These services accept referrals from general practitioners. The Combined Approach, while recognised, is not universally implemented in all general dermatology clinics. Your GP may need to search or contact the local or regional specialist service to confirm if they offer this specific element of care (the habit reversal component is sometimes delivered by a specialist nurse or psychologist) or can refer you onward for it. Most referrals are now done electronically via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS).
If you recognise, from what you discover on this website, a need to see a specialist who can offer you The Combined Approach for your eczema, we suggest you take one of our information leaflets to your GP to discuss the situation. Alternatively, ask your dermatologist.
In the UK the clinic-based approach is also available privately, especially in London. While we do not think it is appropriate to highlight private services here, they are not difficult to discover by searching the internet.
Finally, please contact us if you have difficulties getting the help you think you need.
See also