When to refer to secondary care
When to Refer to Secondary Care
Whilst pharmacy cannot do this directly it may be useful to be able to provide women with advice as to when they should be seeking more specialist care than their GP can provide.
Referral to a healthcare professional specialising in menopause should be sought if16:
- Lifestyle measures, drugs (hormonal or non-hormonal) or non-drug treatments are not controlling symptoms
- Treatment is causing persistent, troublesome adverse effects
- There is uncertainty about the most suitable treatment option e.g. if the patient has co-morbidities and/or contraindications for treatment
- The woman has persistent altered sexual function and lifestyle measures, drugs (hormonal or non-hormonal) or non-drug treatments are ineffective. In this instance it may be worth discussing a referral for psychosexual counselling
- There is uncertainty about diagnosing premature ovarian insufficiency
- There is a sudden change in menstrual pattern, intermenstrual bleeding, postcoital bleeding or postmenopausal.