Dr Hazel Gowland PGCE, MREHIS, FIFST, FRSPH has had a severe allergy to nuts and peanuts since early childhood and has survived a number of life-threatening reactions. A leading patient and consumer advocate, she was involved in shaping the achievements of the Anaphylaxis Campaign (now Anaphylaxis UK) from its earliest days in 1994.

Hazel supports and advises those at risk from severe food allergies, both through personal experience and professional expertise.

This work also involves food suppliers as well as families, schools, food enforcement officers, local and national government, doctors, specialist nurses and dieticians. Hazel develops accessible e-learning resources and allergy training courses for food handlers in the workplace.

Hazel investigates deaths and ‘near misses’ from food allergy, provides expert evidence and undertakes scientific, clinical and consumer research into why and how allergen avoidance may fail and how those at risk may be protected.

In October 2018, Hazel completed a PhD – Food allergy: innovation in advocacy, research and training to support and protect those at risk at Kingston University. In 2019 she was appointed a Visiting Fellow in the School of Medicine at Southampton University and a member of the Safefood Knowledge Network Expert Group. She is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, and the Food Special Interest Group of the Roysl Society for Public Health.

Hazel’s published work is here