There is an urgent need for change in the rate of diagnosis and the management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the UK, as FASD is frequently underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed,preventing access to appropriate services and support. This is of concern given the detrimental personal, social, and economic effects of FASD and elevated risk of secondary harms in this population. The National Organisation for FASD Not Commissioned: Systemic confusion in NHS services for alcohol, pregnancy and FASD highlighted the “slow, non-strategic, and uncoordinated responses” by NHS Integrated Care Boards and NHS Trusts to the 2022 NICE Quality Standard (204) on FASD. The Department of Health and Social Care’s recent FASD Needs Assessment identified a need to improve training and awareness among healthcare professionals with a focus on improving knowledge and increasing the perceived relevance of FASD.
Dr Katherine Perryman has been awarded an NIHR career development award (Pre application support fund) to develop a research proposal on improving the quality of care for people with known or suspected FASD. Starting on 1st September 2025 and in post until 31st August 2026, her research will involve a thorough exploration of the barriers to diagnosis, including health professionals’ attitudes towards FASD, with the aim of developing a research proposal for an NIHR Postdoctoral Award application to fund this research. This proposal will involve primary research and the innovative application of behavioural science to design and evaluate a robust evidence and theory-based behaviour change intervention for healthcare professionals to improve the identification and management of FASD.
This aim of this research is to apply behavioural science to design interventions targeted at systems and professionals that will drive change to improve care for families affected by FASD. The core aim of these interventions would be to raise healthcare professionals’ awareness, capability, and motivation to improve the care of people at risk of FASD to move towards a society that understands and supports families affected by FASD.