Follow-up survey of general practitioners' perceptions of UK allergy services

Abstract

Background: A UK survey of general practitioners (GPs) in 2002 found that they perceived allergy care throughout the UK National Health Service (NHS) to be poor. We conducted a follow-up survey in 2009 to see if GPs' perceptions had changed.

Objectives: To determine GP perceptions of allergy care in the NHS in the wake of recent Government reports into allergy care, and to compare the findings of this survey to a similar survey conducted in 2002.

Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey of 500 UK GPs was conducted, using an adapted version of the 2002 questionnaire, modified to reflect recent developments in primary care.

Results: We obtained valid responses from 149 GPs, 87% of whom were based in England. 74% were GP principals and 63% worked in training practices. Most GPs (71%; 95%CI 63-79) rated overall NHS allergy care as poor, expressing concern about both primary care and access to allergy specialists. There were no significant differences in GPs' perceptions of the quality of allergy care provided in primary (p=0.33) and secondary care (p=0.97) or access to specialists (p=0.37), between 2002 and 2009.

Conclusion: This survey suggests that recent professional and parliamentary reviews have not led to any notable improvements in GP perceptions of UK NHS allergy services between 2002 and 2009.