Of the 204 GPs questioned as part of the research, 47 per cent believed that increased availability of allergy testing would reduce the need to refer patients to specialists. In addition, 64 per cent believed it would lead to more accurate diagnoses.

The survey also showed that 80 per cent of GPs believe that diagnosis and treatment of allergies should take place in primary care.

The research was conducted by Phadia, a company which develops allergy testing equipment. A spokesman for the company said that better testing for GPs would ensure patients could manage their own conditions, possibly by avoiding particular allergens, rather than taking medicine.

tom.moberly@haymarket.com

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