Highlighting women’s health issues and priorities, National Women’s Health Week aims to encourage women to prioritise their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The main physical health issues that women in the UK face are cancers, gynaecological and menstrual conditions, fertility and pregnancy complications, menopause, and mental health. That’s why we’re showcasing how our Enhanced Advice & Guidance (A&G) service is supporting the NHS across the UK to get faster advice, improving patient care for women:
Gynaecological cancer
A GP in Coventry and Warwickshire ICB used Telephone Advice & Guidance via Consultant Connect to expedite treatment for their patient who presented with an obvious advanced gynaecological cancer:
‘The two-week-wait (2WW) referral [for the patient] had already been made, but when ringing the dedicated 2WW line, because it is not staffed by a clinician, I could not move the appointment from 14 days, and the patient was deteriorating. I used Consultant Connect to contact the Gynaecology Team and was put through to a consultant gynaecologist in seconds. They arranged for the patient to be scanned that day and given appropriate follow-up treatment. Because of Telephone A&G, an acute admission was avoided, and the patient received the care they needed.’
– Dr Wendy Morris.
Menstrual conditions
A GP in NHS Lanarkshire used Telephone Prof-to-Prof Advice via Consultant Connect to seek rapid specialist input for a patient who was experiencing menorrhagia and whose results indicated anaemia:
‘Given the degree of anaemia, I wondered if she might need an admission for a transfusion. Upon speaking with the gynaecologist, she advised that iron tablets should be sufficient as the patient was relatively asymptomatic and not keen for admission. We also discussed the treatment the patient had tried for menorrhagia previously, and we developed an alternative plan. The consultant arranged for the patient to be seen in her clinic. The patient was delighted with the specialist advice and the fact that she received advice for her condition via me.’
– Dr Elizabeth Peak.
Pregnancy-related conditions
A GP in North Central London ICB used Telephone A&G to discuss an antenatal patient whose midwife suggested she discuss starting Acyclovir Prophylaxis in the late stages of her pregnancy due to a history of recurrent genital herpes:
‘When I saw the patient, she was well with no symptoms of genital herpes, so I decided to make a call via Consultant Connect to discuss the case with a consultant gynaecologist. The call was very useful as they advised me that this guidance had recently changed. The patient was very satisfied that the recommended management plan, to prescribe the medication, came from a consultant who was aware of the new guidance. The patient felt reassured by the consultant’s specialist opinion and safer taking the medication following the call.’
– Dr Edwina Akerele.
Interested in setting up a Consultant Connect A&G service? To find out more, please email us at hello@consultantconnect.org.uk or call us on 01865 261 467.
Related materials:
- GP case study: Gynaecology Advice & Guidance in Coventry and Warwickshire
- NHS Lanarkshire Prof-to-Prof Advice GP case study
- GP case study in North Central London ICB: Gynaecology and Neurology
- Health Matters: 30-50% of gynaecology referrals don’t need a hospital admission
- Femtech World: UK’s gynaecology care crisis – RCOG calls for urgent government funding
