A retrospective audit of general practitioner’s referrals to Guys and St Thomas’ specialist menopause clinic between 2021 and 2022

Tedajo Tsambou, Jocelyne, Bruce, Deborah, Holloway, Debra and Rymer, Janice 2024. A retrospective audit of general practitioner’s referrals to Guys and St Thomas’ specialist menopause clinic between 2021 and 2022. Post Reproductive Health 30 (2) , pp. 121-126. 10.1177/20533691241239485

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Abstract

Purpose: We performed a retrospective audit of General Practitioners’ (GPs) referrals to the specialist Menopause Clinic at Guys and St Thomas’s (GSTT) between 2021 and 2022. We aim to establish the indication for the referrals and whether they were compliant with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidance NICE. Background: GSTT is a teaching hospital in central London that educates gynaecologists in training as well as (GP) for specialist certification in Menopause. The menopause clinic receives approximately 580 GP referrals per month from South East London practices. The current waiting time for an initial appointment is up to 1 year. This delay reflects an increase in demand for menopause care and a deficit in service provision in many areas of the UK. NICE has recommended that GPs refer complicated cases to menopause specialists, with 11 specific criteria. Study Sample and Data Collection: We randomly selected 50 patients referred to the GSTT clinic by a GP between 2021 and 2022. Patient data were collected, including patient demographics, date of referral, indication for referral, date of consultation, waiting time, past medical history, investigations, and treatment instigated during the appointment. Results: The majority of referrals to the GSTT menopause Specialist clinic met the NICE guidelines (76%). One-sixth of the referrals could have been prevented or managed through alternative routes. Finally, although this is a small study, some patient unmet needs (PUNS) and GPs’ educational needs have been identified.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	SAGE
ISSN:	2053-3691
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	13 October 2025
Last Modified:	13 Oct 2025 15:11
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181616

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