Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
West London African Women’s Service
The West London African Women’s Service provides accessible comprehensive care for women with female genital mutilation (FGM) at both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and in a new community clinic based at the West London Centre for Sexual Health (WLCSH) at Charing Cross Hospital.
FGM, also known as female circumcision or cutting, is practised most widely in Africa but also occurs in some Asian and the Middle Eastern countries. Girls and women from a variety of religious backgrounds are affected, as this is a social custom, not a religious one.
There are different types of FGM but it always involves removal of all or part of the external genitalia, and is commonly performed in childhood, often in unhygienic conditions with no anaesthetic.
In the short-term FGM may cause severe pain, and potentially life-threatening bleeding and infection.
How can women access the West London African Women's Service?
Our aim is to make the West London African Women's Service accessible to as many women as possible, irrespective of where they live and what language they speak. We will be working closely with community outreach teams and will have interpreters on-hand.
Women who are not pregnant can self-refer to the West London African Women's Community Clinic at Charing Cross Hospital by contacting us one of the following ways:
T: 020 3315 3344
E: fgmwestlondon@nhs.net
