British Association of Dermatologists

British Association of Dermatologists
Name	British Association of Dermatologists
Abbreviation	BAD
Formation	1920
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Membership	dermatologists, trainees, allied health professionals
Leader title	President

Contents

British Association of Dermatologists is a professional association for specialists in Dermatology within the United Kingdom. It serves as a forum for clinicians, researchers and educators drawn from institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, King's College London, University College London and Imperial College London. The association interacts with regulatory and public bodies including NHS England, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, General Medical Council, Health Education England and international organizations like European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and World Health Organization.

History

Founded in 1920 by leading clinicians from hospitals such as Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital, the association grew alongside developments at research centres including St John's Institute of Dermatology and Moorfields Eye Hospital. Early officers were influenced by contemporaries at Royal Society meetings and exchanged knowledge with delegates from American Academy of Dermatology, European Society for Dermatological Research and the International League of Dermatological Societies. The association's timeline parallels milestones at universities like Edinburgh Medical School, Queen's University Belfast and University of Glasgow and reflects wartime dermatology advances seen during the Second World War and public health reforms after the National Health Service Act 1946.

Governance is conducted by an elected council including officers trained at centres such as Addenbrooke's Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital and Royal Free Hospital. Committees liaise with statutory bodies including the Care Quality Commission and professional colleges like the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons of England. The presidency has been held by figures who also held posts at institutions such as Manchester Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Leeds General Infirmary. Annual governance meetings are sometimes held alongside conferences at venues like ExCeL London, Manchester Central and Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Membership encompasses consultants trained under curricula accredited by Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board, dermatology registrars, specialist nurses from trusts such as Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and allied professionals from organisations including British Dermatological Nursing Group. Training pathways link to posts at teaching hospitals like Royal Victoria Infirmary, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Continuous professional development aligns with guidance from General Medical Council revalidation, and trainee examinations are coordinated with bodies such as Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and certification processes used by Health Education England.

The association produces clinical guidance and patient information, publishing in outlets complementary to journals like the British Medical Journal, The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine and specialty journals including the British Journal of Dermatology and Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Guidelines reference methodologies used by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, systematic reviewers in Cochrane Collaboration and standards promoted by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Patient leaflets are distributed to clinics at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Royal London Hospital and community services across NHS Scotland and NHS Wales.

The association supports research networks linking principal investigators from Wellcome Trust-funded groups, academic departments at University of Manchester, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds and translational units including Cancer Research UK centres. Collaborative projects involve registries similar to those run by European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation and data governance aligned with UK Research and Innovation policies. Educational events draw speakers from institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Karolinska Institutet, Université Paris Cité and international meetings like the World Congress of Dermatology.

The association confers prizes and medals comparable to honours awarded by Royal Society of Medicine, Royal College of Physicians and learned societies like the British Association for Cancer Research. Outreach programmes partner with charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, British Skin Foundation and patient advocacy groups including Melanoma UK and Psoriasis Association. Public engagement activities have been held in collaboration with museums and galleries such as the Science Museum, London and universities hosting festivals like British Science Festival. The association also liaises with international partners including European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, World Health Organization and specialty societies like the American Academy of Dermatology.