Welcome to Dr Helen Allergy
Why Dr Helen Allergy?
Dr Helen Allergy is a family run business.
We are passionate about ensuring you have access to the right help at the right time.
Dr Helen is a highly skilled clinician with over 18 years’ experience as firstly a GP and also an Allergy Specialist Doctor.
Our Dr Helen Allergy Services
Face To Face Consultation
Welcome to the Dr. Helen Allergy Clinic, located in Poole! We are excited to introduce our clinic, where we specialise in Allergy Consultations for both children and adults.
At Dr. Helen Allergy, we are dedicated to providing you with personalised attention during your face-to-face consultation. We will take the time to thoroughly understand your specific needs, enabling us to offer tailored solutions that address your concerns effectively.
Virtual Consultation
No matter where you are located, distance is not a barrier to accessing our services. We are pleased to announce that we now offer Virtual Consultations as well.
This means that you can connect with the Dr. Helen Allergy team from the comfort of your own home. Through our virtual platform, you will have the opportunity to discuss your concerns with us, and together devise an effective plan for the way forward.
Rest assured that we are committed to providing you with the same level of care and attention, regardless of whether your consultation is in-person or virtual.
Home Allergy Testing
For individuals who are not able to attend a face to face appointment and need an option to have remote allergy testing performed, we offer an IgE blood test that can be performed at home using a blood sample collected from a fingerprick. We will provide full instructions for this to ensure it is carried out correctly. It can be performed on individuals of any age. This is also something which we can perform in clinic if indepth allergy testing is required. For an example copy of the report that will be received, please click here. The Allergy Solutions test looks at 295 allergens.
Allergy Help Membership
Imagine having a doctor in your pocket. Someone to message easily if you’re struggling. A doctor who will guide you about what to do/ how to access help and what to speak to your specialist or GP about. Imagine regularly chatting to others going through the same thing. Sharing tips, feeling supported and no longer feeling alone.
Join now to obtain your 15-minute virtual consultation with Dr Helen, monthly Q&A sessions with Dr Helen, Odette (our dermatology specialist), Dr Penny or Lucy (our specialist for allergy dieticians) and Dr Francesca (our Clinical Psychologist). Additional monthly expert speaker sessions on a wide range of topics as well as daily support from Dr Helen and other benefits too! A full allergy clinic readily accessible from your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
The majority of people Dr Helen sees in clinic are those where the family or person suspects they have a food allergy. This can present in a variety of ways – with rashes, swelling, vomiting, bowel symptoms, reflux, and indigestion. Dr Helen will assess what is going on for that person and arrange any testing necessary. Dr Helen also sees many clients with skin rashes and eczema; especially where there is a question of whether food or environmental allergies are contributing to skin difficulties. We also see people where there are concerns about asthma, congestion, coughing. We can test for environmental allergies to pets, house dust mite, pollens and moulds and advise and treat these conditions. We also assess venom allergies such as bee and wasp sting reactions.
There is often a cross over in the type of conditions that an allergist and dermatologist manage. Both specialists can manage eczema and conditions which cause spontaneous hives and swelling. If you are concerned about food or environmental allergies then an allergist is the best person to consult as the skin prick testing and blood testing, we have available, looks at this type of immediate allergy. If you are concerned about reactions to potential chemicals, shampoos, soaps, metals etc., then a dermatologist is the best specialist to see as they can arrange patch testing which looks at a more delayed allergy which causes rashes to these substances. If you are not sure who to see, then please do submit a query and we will help direct you.
Yes, Dr Helen can undertake allergy testing when this is required. The easiest method of doing this is by an allergy skin prick test. This can be done on the day and gives results within 15-20 minutes. If skin prick testing is not possible or acceptable, blood can be taken and sent away for allergy testing (specific IgE testing). Blood test results are usually back within 5-7 days and the results of these and an accompanying explanation will be emailed to you as soon as Dr Helen as reviewed them.
Some insurance companies allow you to see any clinician of your choice and claim back your expenses directly from them. We are happy to see patients registered with companies like this, such as Vitality. Unfortunately, we do not work with other companies such as BUPA, who choose to pay us a lower price than our documented fees.
It is usually possible to arrange an appointment with Dr Helen within 1-2 weeks and if you cannot find a time that suits; Dr Helen is happy to liase to see if something can be arranged. Waiting times within the NHS vary depending on area. At best they are usually 6 months and at worse, in some areas, 18 months or longer. Your own local GP is likely to be able to give you a clearer idea of this.
Allergy consultations last one hour and cost £250. Following the consultation, you will receive an in-depth clinic letter. Allergy skin prick tests cost an additional £100.
