Homerton: Testing for allergies

Our services

Testing for allergies

Allergy tests can be helpful in aiding a diagnosis of allergy or in ruling allergy out as a cause of someone’s symptoms; however they must be interpreted by a professional trained in allergy as they only make sense in light of a full patient case history.

Services available

At Homerton we use allergy skin prick tests, IgE blood tests, intradermal tests and challenge tests which are scientifically validated.

There is not one test that can, from a single drop of blood, tell us what someone is allergic too – any tests performed will be based on what the patient tells us about their symptoms, lifestyle and environments they are in contact with. Blanket testing is of little value at best and at worse misleading.

Before you attend the allergy clinic you will be asked in the appointment letter not to take antihistamine tablets or medicines from 78 hours before the appointment. Skin tests will not work otherwise.

Find out more on the diagnosis of allergy at the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology website.

We advise against remote testing kits sold over the internet or in chemist shops.

Making an appointment

Patients from any area of the UK are able to be seen if they are referred by their GP.

We primarily serve patients who live in Hackney and its surrounding boroughs, or those who have been admitted to the Acute Care Unit (ACU) via A&E. We also see patients from outside of the local area, mainly from north-east London and Essex.

In every case, the first port of call is your GP who is best placed to decide, with you, whether you need to see a specialist at Homerton. Your GP may decide that a course of treatment is necessary; it is very important to follow their treatment advice carefully.

If you have taken your treatment and it has not worked, return to your GP to discuss the matter further. If it is appropriate they will write to the specialist and details of an appointment will be sent to you. Patients are required to telephone a number on the appointment letter to confirm that they can attend.