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[Postmeno3]

Hi,
Just wondering about your experience of practice in relation to contacting NHS services directly. Does anyone have the luxury of e-mail contact either with admin or the actual specialist or direct contact with the specialist by phone, messaging etc? Or direct contact with the surgery by the same methods? As an example, I find navigating the journey of the clinic prescription to the gp to me a particular source of angst as nothing is on repeat yet due to my relative newness and the trial and error process this entails. Apparently, three identical prescriptions have to happen before they go on repeat to show something's working consistently. I'm assuming a phone consultation with the gp, that one can wait around all day for, is the only means of adding to what can be an inadequate supply, due to said trial and error (!), or the assumption has been made at the clinic that the gp is handling it. All seems a bit time-consuming and meandering, but, most importantly, entirely down to me to keep on top of when a quick e-mail, voicemail or carrier pigeon would do the job perfectly?
😊

[PeriWhat?!]

Do you mean an NHS menopause clinic? I can call the reception desk and talk to them, but access to the specialist is controlled by GP surgeries where I am.

I was waiting a long time for my appointment, then got given a time for a telephone appointment and the menopause specialist from the meno clinic called me. She wasn't allowed to prescribe though, only recommend, so then I had to wait two weeks for her clinical letter to go back to the GP surgery, which authorised and wrote the prescription and sent it on to my local pharmacy for me to collect. It felt like a very complicated way to do a seemingly simple thing!

[Postmeno3]

Yes, NHS menopause clinic meant, thanks.
I just feel it could be all so much simpler if a specialist could be contacted directly, even by e-mail if that saves everyone's time, thereby fast-tracking to where communication needs to be focused?

[Cookie25]

Hi Ladies

I seem to be more fortune than you. I am able to phone and speak to my specialist's Secretary who then passes my messages on. Sometimes the Secretary has phoned me back with a resolution but other times I've had to wait for my next review.
My prescription was far easier - when my regime changed this time it was put on an electronic system by my specialist during our phone consultation so my gp surgery could see it straight away. I then phoned them and got to collect it the very next day!
Xxxxx