Autoimmune Support and Awareness Foundation has launched a CPD-accredited professional training programme aimed at helping employers, healthcare professionals, and organisational leaders recognise autoimmune diseases in the workplace and respond more effectively to them.
The programme, titled Autoimmune Diseases in the Workplace, arrives alongside warnings from campaigners that autoimmune conditions remain under-recognised despite their scale and economic effect. The foundation says such illnesses affect around one in ten people, often emerging during prime working years, and can contribute to reduced productivity, long-term absence, delayed diagnosis, and pressure on NHS capacity.
The case being made is not only clinical. Advocates say autoimmune disease is also a workplace and social issue because symptoms are frequently invisible while still being debilitating. Fatigue, chronic pain, neurological difficulties, and psychological distress can all make sustained employment harder, particularly when managers or colleagues do not understand the condition. The foundation argues that this can deepen stigma, weaken confidence, and delay appropriate support.
Campaigners also say clinicians are seeing younger people present with autoimmune conditions, raising concerns about career disruption earlier in life and longer-term effects on workforce sustainability. In practice, that means the issue is being framed less as a niche health challenge and more as a broad labour-market and public-services concern.
Asal Shirazi BEM, Founder of the Autoimmune Support and Awareness Foundation, said: “Autoimmune disease is one of the most overlooked health challenges affecting our society today, and we are increasingly seeing younger people impacted at critical stages of education and career development. The consequences can extend far beyond physical illness — influencing mental wellbeing, social participation, employment prospects and long-term life opportunities. Without greater awareness, many individuals may face misunderstanding, stigma or delayed support, which can worsen health outcomes and increase pressure on families, workplaces and public services. Through education, we can help workplaces respond earlier, reduce avoidable absence, protect productivity and contribute to easing the long-term burden on the NHS. Ultimately, this is about safeguarding the health, dignity and future potential of our nation.”
The foundation says the training is intended to equip organisations with practical tools rather than broad awareness alone, including earlier recognition of symptoms, more supportive workplace responses, and better referral decisions.
Organisations interested in the programme can contact the foundation.
