What is the Gynaecology Collaborative?

It is a partnership between the Islington GP Federation and Whittington, North Middlesex and UCLH Hospital Trusts, which provides an integrated community gynaecology service for patients registered with a GP in Haringey and Islington. The service is accessible via referral by the patient’s GP.

What does this service offer?

The Gynaecology Collaborative offers a single point of access for gynaecology services across Haringey and Islington. It aims to ensure patients are seen by the right person at right time and the right place. This may mean an appointment to see a clinician in one of our community gynaecology clinics, in another community service such as Family Planning and Sexual health or Bladder and Bowel, or in a hospital clinic of one of our partner hospitals.

The service is a one stop shop for all Gynaecology referrals with pathways in place for patients who require ultrasound and/or any gynaecology procedures. Patients who are felt to be suitable for the community clinic will be seen by a clinician who is either a GP with an interest in gynaecology, or a consultant from either Whittington, North Middlesex or UCLH Hospital Trusts.

The Clinical Lead of the service is Dr. Karin Schachinger.

Contact details for appointments and queries are:

· If you have an urgent query or are unable to use the email contact below, please call 0203 915 8800 (open MO – FRI from 9.30am – 4.30pm) · For any routine enquiries please use igpf.gynaecollab@nhs.net · For feedback or complaints please use igpf.feedback@nhs.net

Where are the clinics located?

The service is provided from the following clinic locations across Haringey and Islington:

• Hornsey Central Neighbourhood Health Centre – 151 Park Road, London N8 8JD. Please find directions here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8EanMZP3ZHHvpN1y9

  There is free car parking onsite. The Community Gynaecology Clinic is located on the second floor.

• Bingfield Medical Centre – 8 Bingfield Street, London N1 0AL. Please find directions here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gu5eqNKoktzSrVBJ9

  There is no free car parking on the site. Please use public transport if possible.

• Lordship Lane - 239 Lordship Lane, London N17 6AA. Please find directions here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/95RnfWPVmVsqCjUx6

  There is free car parking onsite.

What is the purpose of this service?

The purpose of the community gynaecology service is:

- provide excellent care to our local population.

- to provide advice and guidance to GPs.

- focus on medical management of benign gynaecological conditions.

- enable patients to be quickly seen locally (usually within 6 weeks of referral).

- Work in partnership with and support local hospitals to reduce their waiting lists.

- offer training and upskilling as well as shadowing opportunities to local GPs.

What happens after the GP referral to the community gynaecology service?

GP referrals to the Gynaecology Collaborations are clinically triaged within 5 working days, urgent referrals within 48 hours.

Patients who are suitable to be seen in the Community are being offered an appointment to be seen within 6 weeks of referral; if the referral is being passed on to another service, such as one of the acute hospitals, the patient will be informed of this.

Prior to seeing a clinician, it may be necessary to have certain tests arranged, such as an ultrasound scan or a blood test or swabs. Most of the appointments offered are being Face to Face as it might be necessary for the patient to be examined; however, some appointments may be offered by telephone first.

Further information for Patients:

Patient information

• Click here for our Patient Information Leaflet

• For the public | RCOG

• STIs and contraception | CNWL Sexual Health Services

• Women's Health Concern | Confidential Advice, Reassurance and Education (womens-health-concern.org)

• What is endometriosis? | Endometriosis UK (endometriosis-uk.org)

• Charity for Women with POI | The Daisy Network

Further information for GPs:

• A new referral form containing full pathway details is available in EMIS under Gynaecology Collaborative.

• Please refer to the NCL Primary Care pathways on the referral form prior to sending the referral.

• You can use the referral form for A&G also, please tick the appropriate box on the form. A&G is usually returned within 5 working days.

• When referring into eRs service, please use the ‘Primary Care’ option and choose “Gynaecology” – Choose clinic type. When searching our service should come up as ‘The Gynaecology Collaborative’ which sometimes is quiet far down, please scroll down and note the location would come under Islington PCC.

Conditions seen and treated in the community clinics are:

Postcoital/Intermenstrual Bleeding

Menorrhagia

Symptomatic Fibroids

Complex or large (>5cm) Ovarian cyst on US

Oligomenorrhoea/PCOS

Pelvic Pain/Endometriosis

Complex Menopause/ POI

Uro-gynaecology incl. Prolapse

Vulva/perineal lesions

Recurrent Vaginal discharge

Psychosexual/Vaginismus

The service also provides minor procedures such as:

Cervical polyp removal

Cautery of cervical ectropion

IUS Fitting/Change for purpose of HRT/HMB

Fitting or changing of vaginal pessaries

Biopsy and excisions of benign vulva lesions

Patients who are more appropriately seen somewhere else (Exclusion Criteria):

Patients meeting the 2WW Cancer Referral criteria.

Patients who are pregnant or requesting a Termination of Pregnancy.

Children <16years

Patients with an established gynaecological cancer diagnosis

Patients who require treatment for fertility and recurrent miscarriage

Patients needing Contraception or sexual health screening.

Patients requiring Colposcopy.