Referrals and appointments

Menopause clinic information

Referrals

The Menopause Clinic is a specialist secondary care service accepting referrals from GPs within the North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Your appointment

• Type of appointment: Most appointments are by telephone, but face-to-face or video consultations can be arranged if needed.
• Timing: Please be available for up to one hour before and after your scheduled appointment time, as timings may vary.
• Incoming calls: Calls will come from 020 3315 8000 or may appear as withheld.
• Important: If you have call barring, voicemail divert or Do Not Disturb enabled, you may miss the call and risk being recorded as Did Not Attend (DNA) or discharged.

Health questionnaires and feedback

On behalf of the Menopause and PMS Service, you may receive a text message or email from one of our digital solutions providers.

• Before your appointment: You may receive a questionnaire about your symptoms and concerns. Please complete this promptly to help the clinician prepare for your appointment.
• After your appointment: You may receive a short satisfaction survey, which should take around five minutes to complete. Your feedback is valuable.

Booking your appointment and follow-up

Most patients are seen and treated in one appointment.

If further follow-up is needed, you may be offered a Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU), sometimes referred to as an open appointment.

What is Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU)?

PIFU gives you direct access to the Menopause and PMS Service without needing to be re-referred by your GP. This means you can manage your condition independently and request an appointment if you feel you need further support.

The length of your PIFU period will be agreed with your clinician and recorded in the clinic letter you received when you were placed on the PIFU pathway.

You can make, change or cancel an appointment if your condition changes or you have concerns.

When PIFU should not be used

PIFU should not be used for the following:

• Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding: Contact your GP urgently or call NHS 111.
• Feeling suicidal: Contact your GP, attend A&E or access urgent mental health support, such as Samaritans.
• New symptoms or urgent advice: Contact your GP or call NHS 111.
• Prescription issues or shortages: Contact your GP or call NHS 111.
• Missing letters or results: See About your online health records or email chelwest.gynaecology.admin@nhs.net.
• Requesting investigations: Request an investigation.

Contact information

• GPs: Request advice and guidance through the electronic referral system (eRS) or other appropriate channels.
• Current patients: Email chelwest.gynaecology.admin@nhs.net for administrative enquiries. These will be forwarded to the clinical team where appropriate.