Question 1

Do I need a GP referral for a women's health appointment?

Accepted Answer

No, you don't need a referral to book a private women's health consultation with us. Unlike NHS gynaecology services, where a referral from your own GP is usually the first step before you're even added to a waiting list, our service is designed so you can go straight to booking. You can arrange your appointment directly online or by calling the clinic, and from your very first visit you'll be seen by one of our experienced female GPs, Dr Anbrin Farrukh or Dr Salma Ghani, who will carry out a full and thorough assessment of your concerns. This more direct route is particularly valuable for anyone who has previously felt that symptoms were dismissed or under-investigated, or who simply wants faster clarity on what's going on with their body.

Question 2

How long does it take to get a private women's health appointment compared to the NHS?

Accepted Answer

This is one of the biggest reasons women choose private care. NHS gynaecology waiting lists across the UK have grown significantly in recent years, with many areas reporting waits of several months to over a year for a first consultant appointment, and longer still for ongoing conditions like heavy periods or suspected endometriosis.
 At Kingsford Medical Services, we offer same-day and next-day appointments, seven days a week, so you're not left waiting in discomfort or uncertainty for answers.

Question 3

What does a Women's Health First Appointment involve?

Accepted Answer

Your first appointment is a comprehensive, 30-minute consultation priced at £250, and it's designed to give your GP a full picture of your health rather than rushing to a quick fix. During this visit, your clinician will:Take a detailed medical history, covering your current symptoms, past gynaecological history, family history and any relevant lifestyle factorsDiscuss your symptoms in depth, giving you space to explain how they're affecting your day to day life rather than reducing them to a checklistReview any previous investigations, test results, or referral letters you bring with youCarry out an appropriate clinical examination where clinically indicatedArrange further testing if needed, which may include blood tests, hormone panels, ultrasound imaging or cervical screening, depending on your presentationBegin building a personalised care plan, tailored specifically to your symptoms and health goals rather than a generic protocol
This appointment structure is intended to make sure nothing is missed, and that any onward testing or treatment is genuinely appropriate to you as an individual, not simply the next step in a standard pathway.

Question 4

What's included in a Women's Health Follow-Up appointment?

Accepted Answer

Follow-up appointments are 30 minutes and priced at £175, and they exist to provide continuity rather than treating every visit as a fresh assessment. During a follow-up, your GP will review how you've progressed since your last appointment, go through any new test results with you in detail, evaluate how well your current treatment or management plan is working, and make any necessary adjustments, whether that's changing an HRT dose, exploring an alternative treatment, or arranging further investigation. This ongoing relationship is particularly valuable for conditions like menopause, PCOS, or hormone imbalances, where the right treatment often needs to be fine-tuned over time rather than settled in a single visit.

Question 5

Can I get menopause and perimenopause support without waiting months?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is one of the most common reasons women come to see us. Menopause consultations start from £150, with flexible, same-day appointment options available. The scale of demand for menopause care in the UK has increased sharply in recent years. Government data has shown that around 400,000 women across England were expected to benefit from a new HRT prescription prepayment certificate introduced to reduce prescription costs, reflecting just how many women rely on ongoing hormone treatment. At the same time, analysis has shown significant disparities in how much different local health boards spend on HRT per woman, leading to inconsistent access depending on where you live, sometimes described as a postcode lottery.If you're experiencing symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, brain fog, irregular periods, low libido or sleep disturbance, and you'd rather not wait to find out whether menopause or perimenopause is the cause, a private consultation gives you a much faster route to clarity, testing and, if appropriate, treatment.

Question 6

Do you offer HRT (hormone replacement therapy), and is it easier to access privately?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we provide full HRT management, from initial assessment and prescribing through to ongoing review appointments (priced on application). Many women turn to private HRT care after experiencing difficulty accessing consistent treatment through the NHS. In past years, the UK has faced well-documented HRT supply shortages, with reporting at the time noting that some women were charged as much as £80 through certain pharmacy routes during periods of shortage, and menopause campaigners describing the impact on women left without reliable access to treatment. Separately, some clinical commentary has noted that if initial menopause blood test results are straightforward and NHS HRT prescribing remains accessible, private care may add limited additional value, so we always assess your individual situation rather than assuming private HRT is the right route for everyone. Where it is appropriate, our GPs will manage your prescribing and review your treatment regularly to make sure your dose and regime are working for you

Question 7

What hormone testing do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We offer a comprehensive hormone testing panel priced at £375, designed to help identify what's actually driving your symptoms rather than guessing.This can be particularly useful in cases of suspected perimenopause, PCOS, unexplained fatigue, mood changes or irregular cycles, where hormone levels often tell a clearer story than symptoms alone. If you'd prefer to start with blood testing before committing to a full consultation, you can explore our full range of individual hormone and blood tests, including standalone menopause bloods and thyroid-inclusive panels.

Question 8

Can you help with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, PCOS is one of the hormonal conditions we regularly investigate and manage as part of our women's health service. Symptoms can include irregular or absent periods, acne, excess hair growth, weight changes and fertility difficulties, and they're often frustratingly easy to have dismissed or only partially investigated. Our GPs will take your symptoms seriously from the outset, arrange relevant hormone testing, and build a management plan that addresses both the symptoms you're experiencing now and any longer-term considerations, such as fertility or metabolic health.

Question 9

I have irregular or heavy periods, what can you do to help?

Accepted Answer

Irregular and heavy periods are one of the most common reasons women seek private gynaecological care, often after long and difficult experiences trying to get answers through NHS routes. Media reporting has highlighted cases where women experiencing severe symptoms, including heavy periods so debilitating they were unable to walk during episodes, faced emergency gynaecology referrals with waits reported as long as two years, leading some to be advised by their own GP to consider private care simply to get seen sooner. At Kingsford Medical Services, our GPs will properly investigate the underlying cause of your symptoms, which could range from hormonal imbalance to PCOS to structural gynaecological issues, and talk you through appropriate next steps, whether that's medical management, further imaging, or referral for specialist input.

Question 10

Do you offer contraception and family planning advice?

Accepted Answer

Yes, contraceptive counselling and family planning advice form part of our wider women's health consultations. Rather than a quick prescription conversation, our GPs take the time to talk through the options available to you based on your health history, lifestyle, and future plans, whether you're looking to start, switch or come off contraception.

Question 11

Can I get support with fertility or preconception care?

Accepted Answer

Yes, fertility and preconception care is one of the areas covered within our women's health service, including initial discussions around your health and any factors that could affect conception, along with relevant testing where appropriate. If you specifically need fertility bloods, either for yourself or as part of couple testing with a partner, we also offer dedicated fertility testing panels separately from a full consultation.

Question 12

Do you offer cervical screening or other preventative health checks?

Accepted Answer

Yes, preventative women's health screening is available as part of our service, alongside assessment and investigation of any specific gynaecological concerns you'd like looked into. Preventative care is a core part of how we approach women's health, aiming to catch potential issues early rather than only responding once symptoms become significant.

Question 13

Are your women's health GPs female, and what's their experience?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both Dr Anbrin Farrukh and Dr Salma Ghani are experienced female GPs with specific clinical interests in women's health, including family planning, menopause management and gynaecological care. Being seen by a GP with genuine, focused experience in this area, rather than a generalist fitting your concerns into a ten-minute slot, means your symptoms are more likely to be properly understood and appropriately investigated from the outset.

Question 14

Do you accept health insurance for women's health appointments?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we accept BUPA and WPA for eligible women's health appointments. We also offer flexible payment plans, so if you don't have insurance, cost doesn't need to be a barrier to getting timely, thorough care.

Question 15

What if I'm not sure whether I need a First Appointment, blood tests, or something else entirely?

Accepted Answer

This is a completely common position to be in, particularly with symptoms like fatigue, mood changes or irregular cycles that could have several different underlying causes. In most cases, we'd recommend starting with a Women's Health First Appointment so your GP can properly assess your symptoms in context and decide what testing or treatment path is genuinely appropriate, rather than paying for tests that may not answer your specific question. If you'd prefer to talk it through first, you're also welcome to call the clinic directly and our team will help point you toward the right starting point.

Question 16

Where are you located, and how do I book an appointment?

Accepted Answer

We're based at 6 Wilsons Road, Knowle, Solihull, B93 0HZ, and we see patients from across Solihull, Knowle, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. Please call us directly on 01564 781715, with same-day appointments often available for those who need to be seen quickly.

Private Women's Health Services in Knowle, Solihull

Womens Health First Appointment

Womens Health Follow Up

Pregnancy Beta HCG Blood Test

What Our Women's Health Services Cover

Women's Health Conditions We Treat

Our Women's Health GPs

Dr Anbrin Farrukh

Dr Salma Ghani

Frequently Asked Questions