Allergy Clinic              Prof Jonathan Brostoff

       Tackle the causes as well as the symptoms                 Dr Michael Radcliffe
 

Allergy Clinics

Allergy & Hypersensitivity  |  The Allergy Epidemic  |   Allergy Treatment  |  Allergy Tests

 

NHS Hospitals providing allergy services

 

Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, St John's Wood, North London

 

Sarum Road Private Hospital, Winchester, Hampshire

 

 

 

 

 

Conditions

 

 

 

Hay Fever and Rhinitis

 

 

Asthma and its relationship to allergy

 

 

Eczema and Dermatitis

 

 

Food Allergy and Intolerance

 

 

Hives, nettle rash and allergic swelling of skin and mucous membranes

 

 

Anaphylaxis; What causes it and how to cope with it

 

 

Lip, tongue and mouth symptoms caused by fruits and vegetables

 

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis and Crohn's Disease: Are they caused by allergy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allergens

 

 

 

The House Dust Mite and how to avoid it

 

 

Pollens, Pollination chart, and UK Pollen Forecast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

N H S Clinics
Private Clinics N H S Clinics

Allergy services provided by the NHS are available at the following centres:

The red dots show the location of full-time NHS allergy clinics, 
the black dots are part-time clinics, other clinics are shown in grey.

NHS Allergy Clinics run by members of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology

NHS allergy services in the UK

'The NHS is not currently coping with the size and nature of the problems presented by allergy and related conditions'  
Allergy: the unmet need.  A blueprint for better patient care.
Report of the Royal College of Physicians Working Party
June 2003

'The UK has a minimal specialist allergy service, our GPs and nurses need greater support in helping to advise and treat patients with serious and increasingly complex allergy problems.'
HRH The Prince of Wales 
The Guardian, February 2004

As the Prince pointed out in this newspaper article, one in three of the UK population will develop an allergy at some time in their lives and the number is rising.   Yet only a handful of NHS centres staffed by consultant allergists offer a service with expertise in all types of allergy.  The remaining allergy clinics in the UK - the majority - are run part-time by consultants whose main area of expertise is not allergy, but chest medicine, ear nose and throat medicine, dermatology, paediatrics or gastroenterology.  The diverse nature of allergy, and the rapidity of change within the specialty means that these specialists are often asked for help with problems that do not relate to their own specialty, and with which they are therefore ill-equipped to deal.

Scarcity of Allergy Services

There is little doubt that the scarcity of the allergy service available from doctors has meant that many patients have come to rely on complementary medicine practitioners for help with their allergy problem.  In addition, private laboratories increasingly offer allergy tests direct to the general public.  Whilst there is no doubt that alternative medicine provides a much appreciated service,  much of the treatment and most of the testing methods on offer from complementary practitioners has not been fully scientifically validated.

These difficulties have recently been recognised by the Royal College of Physicians which recently set up a working party to produce a report into the state of allergy services in the UK.


Allergy: the unmet need.  A blueprint for better patient care.
Report of the Royal College of Physicians Working Party
 
 

 

 

Last updated:
April 18, 2004
 

DISCLAIMER

The information contained within this web site is for educational and information purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.  Professor Brostoff and Dr Radcliffe intend that the information given should be accurate, however errors can occur.  Therefore no warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied, is given in relation to this service.  In no event shall Professor Brostoff or Dr Radcliffe be liable for any consequential damages arising out of any use of, or reliance on any content or materials contained herein, neither shall Professor Brostoff or Dr Radcliffe be liable for any content of any external internet sites listed nor do they endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised.  Always consult your own General Medical Practitioner if you are in any way concerned about your health.