Referrals and appointments
Your first appointment—what to expect
Referrals
The Menopause Clinic is a secondary care specialist service that accepts referrals from within the local Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Contact information
We are unable to offer email support directly to patients. However, your GP may submit advice and guidance requests regarding your care plan through the appropriate channels.
If you have any health concerns between appointments, please contact the administrative team by emailing chelwest.gynaecology.admin@nhs.net.
Your clinic appointment
Remote telephone appointments
Most appointments are conducted by telephone. Please ensure you are available for up to one hour before and after your scheduled time, as appointment timings may vary due to patient needs and service demands.
- Calls will come from 020 3315 8000 or may appear as withheld.
- If you have call barring, voicemail divert, or Do Not Disturb settings enabled, you may miss the call and risk being marked as Did Not Attend (DNA) or discharged from the service.
Video consultations
If preferred, video consultations can be arranged via DrDoctor. You may request this at the time of your appointment and the clinician may switch to video during your call if appropriate.
Face-to-face appointments
In-person appointments are limited and offered only when a physical examination, procedure or support for communication difficulties is required.
Health questionnaires and Friends and Family Test (FFT)
Before your appointment
You may receive a text message asking you to complete a health questionnaire. Please submit this as soon as possible. Doing so will allow more time during your consultation to focus on your main symptoms and concerns, helping to improve the overall quality of your appointment.
After your appointment
You will receive a follow-up text with a short survey (approximately 5 minutes to complete). Your feedback is valuable and will help us enhance the service we provide.
Privacy notice: In accordance with GDPR, all responses are anonymous and cannot be traced back to you.
Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU)
The NHS is transitioning to a system of patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) appointments. The Menopause and PMS service will now offer follow-up care exclusively through PIFU, as this approach has been shown to increase our capacity to provide timely care that better meets your individual needs.
PIFU appointments are typically offered at 10 or 12 monthly intervals, giving you the flexibility to bring your appointment forward if and when you feel it is needed.
Requesting your PIFU appointment
- Make sure you meet the PIFU appointment criteria described above
- Phone: 020 3315 6666 or 020 3315 4007 — Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5:30pm
- Email: gynaecology.admin@chelwest.nhs.uk
- Web: https://my.drdoctor.co.uk/request/cwft/cwgynae
When is a PIFU appointment not needed?
- Postmenopausal bleeding: you should make an urgent appointment with your GP or phone 111
- You are feeling suicidal: contact your GP, A&E or Samaritans. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
- A change in your health, experience new symptoms or need urgent medical advice: contact your GP or phone 111
- Difficulty accessing your prescriptions or supply shortages—contact your GP or phone 111
- Missing letters or results, requesting investigations—please email chelwest.gynaecology.admin@nhs.net