Adult allergy clinics

 

  • General allergy clinics

  • Immunotherapy

    Nurse-led desensitisation clinic is a treatment for severe allergies that do not respond fully to medical treatment.

    We offer immunotherapy for allergy to: 

    • pollen (hay fever) 
    • house dust mites 
    • animal dander (cat and dog)

    We also offer immunotherapy for patients who have experienced anaphylaxis and have a proven allergy to insect venom (bee and wasp).

    Under exceptional circumstances we are able to offer sublingual (oral) immunotherapy treatment, although strict criteria have to be met before this can be done.

    Treatment is initiated in the clinic area under the supervision of our specialist nurses. In the case of sublingual immunotherapy, this is continued at home. We do not currently offer a desensitisation service for food allergies.

  • Immunotherapy – bee and wasp venom

    The desensitisation programme for adults who have had anaphylaxis to wasp and bee stings is a three-year treatment programme, requiring weekly visits to our clinic for the first eight to 10 weeks. After this, the next visit is two to four and then six to eight weeks for the next three years.

  • Drug allergy clinic

    A consultation with an allergy consultant, registrar or clinical nurse specialist takes place to ascertain your drug allergy.

    This appointment may also involve skin prick tests and possibly blood tests. 

  • Drug challenge

    • Allergy Day Care Unit
      D Block, Ground Floor, Bermondsey Wing
      Guy's Hospital
      Tel: 020 7188 5843

      Download a map of Guy's Hospital (PDF 98Kb)

    • Wednesdays, 9am-5pm (consultant: Dr Haque)

      Fridays, 1.30pm-5pm (consultant: Dr Rutkowski)

     This treatment involves giving the drug by one of the following routes:

    • oral (by mouth)
    • subcutaneous (injection just below your skin)
    • intramuscular (injection into the muscle of your arm)
    • intravenous (injection into your vein).

    The choice of route depends on the drug being tested, but the oral route is preferred whenever possible. We start by giving you a very small dose of the drug being tested by one of the routes listed above; this may be a diluted sample of the drug to be given intravenously, or a small fraction of a tablet or syrup to be given orally. We will progress by giving you gradually increasing doses of the drug being tested at intervals of 15 – 30 minutes. Some medications will have longer interval times.

  • Omalizumab (asthma) clinic

    • Chest clinic
      Room 4
      2nd Floor, Southwark Wing
      Guy's Hospital
      Tel: 020 7188 5830

      Download a map of Southwark Wing (PDF 39Kb)

    • Thursdays, 9am-12 noon

      Consultant allergist: Prof Chris Corrigan
      Allergy nurse specialist: Keyna Bintcliffe

    Omalizumab injection is used to treat moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma. It is used when a patient's asthma has not been controlled sufficiently on other asthma medicines.

    Omalizumab is a medicine called an IgE blocker. IgE is short for immunoglobulin E. IgE is a substance that occurs naturally in the body in small amounts. This substance plays an important role in allergic asthma. When people with allergic asthma breathe in a year-round allergen, such as cat or dog dander, their bodies make more IgE. This may cause a series of reactions in your body that can lead to asthma attacks and symptoms. Omalizumab works by helping to block IgE.

    The treatment involves one to four sub cut injections into the arm on a two-or four-weekly basis. The dosage and timing of the injections varies from person to person and is based on your weight and IgE blood levels.

    During your first visit you will have to do a spirometry test, which is a breathing test to assess your lung function. This can be quite tiring for some individuals so we take our time to make sure we get good quality readings. A medical history is taken also to assess what triggers your asthma and what your coping mechanisms are.

    We also measure your height and weight and take bloods.

    You will then come back a week later for your first injection. It is important to note that after your first injection you will have to remain in the clinic for two hours. After that, the waiting period after your injections will only be 20 minutes.

  • Food clinic

    A consultation with an allergy consultant, registrar or clinical nurse specialist takes place to ascertain your food allergy.

    This appointment may involve skin prick tests and possibly blood tests.

    Epi-pen training is also done at this time if deemed necessary.

  • Food challenge

    • Allergy Day Care Unit
      D Block, Ground Floor, Bermondsey Wing
      Guy's Hospital
      Tel: 020 7188 5843

      Download a map of Guy's Hospital (PDF 98Kb)

    • Fridays, 9am-1.30pm (consultant: Dr Till)

      Fridays, 1.30pm-5pm (consultant: Dr Rutkowski)

 

 

 

Planning your visit