Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve got questions. We’ve got you covered!

APPOINTMENTS

  • You can book an appointment with Dr Emma Ginns or Dr Mari Walling using the online booking platform.  Our booking platform will open once we have received CQC registration. In the meantime, do join our mailing list to be notified when we are able to accept bookings.

    You can find this at the bottom of this and every page on the website.

  • No referral is needed to book an appointment with Lemala Health. 

    Our booking platform will open once we have received CQC registration. In the meantime, do join our mailing list to be notified when we are able to accept bookings.

    You can find this at the bottom of this and every page on the website.

  • We are able to see women who are residents of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland), the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

    This is a legal requirement and forms part of our Terms and Conditions.

    We are only able to ship medications to the destinations listed above.

  • No, we are unable to see women under the age of 18, as we are registered as an adult service.

  • Yes. Your appointment will occur via secure video call or, if you prefer, via telephone.

    Online appointments offer convenience for you, with no travel costs, and an appointment in the privacy of your own chosen location, anywhere in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland), the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

    Sometimes, we may need to recommend you do see a doctor for an examination. This would be discussed during your appointment if considered medically advisable.

  • Online appointments help us to keep the cost of your appointment down. Operating a private healthcare service within the UK has many costs associated with it, and we wish to make our prices as accessible as possible.

    For most women, online appointments are a convenient, efficient and effective way to deliver excellent menopause care. We are both highly experienced at delivering online menopause consultations, and will explain any limitations of a remote consultation with you if appropriate.

  • Please allow up to 45 minutes for your first appointment.

  • Please allow up to 25 minutes for a follow up appointment.

  • A new consultation appointment will cost £240.

  • An existing patient consultation appointment will cost £160.

    This appointment is to review your care after a new patient consultation with Lemala Health.  

    Existing patient consultations are usually booked after 8-12 weeks and then recommended annually.

  • The appointment fee covers the consultation time, and any standard administration that arises from that consultation (such as a referral letter). It includes the generation of a clinic letter, which we share with you by email, and with your GP (with your informed consent).

    Unlike many private menopause clinics, we do not charge a private prescription fee for a prescription written during your appointment.

    We charge an administration fee of £30 to write a private prescription outside of a clinical appointment. This payment covers our time to do this.

    If you have a private prescription, you will need to also pay for the HRT medication. Your doctor will be able to discuss the price of these with you during your appointment.

    If you require the completion of any additional paperwork, (for example for an insurer) we may charge an additional administration fee, which would be advised in advance of the work being completed.

    This fee does not include the cost of investigations, if clinically advised such as blood tests, or scans etc.

  • Perimenopause is the time leading up to the menopause. During perimenopause hormone levels start to fluctuate. This can last many years, and may begin in your late 30s/early 40s (or earlier in some cases). Possible symptoms include changes to your periods, hot flushes or night sweats, brain fog, irritability, sleep disturbances, urinary symptoms, vaginal dryness or irritation, mood swings or weight gain. These symptoms may be intermittent, become worse at certain times of your menstrual cycle, or be there for a while and then settle, before recurring. The variability occurs due to the fluctuating hormone levels.

  • The menopause is considered to have occurred when you have had 12 months without a period (when you are not taking an oral contraceptive, and have no hormone releasing coil in place). In women using contraception, or with a hormone coil in place, we often do not know when someone becomes menopausal, but it becomes increasingly likely as women approach their mid 50s. The average age of menopause within the UK is around the age of 51. A normal age range for menopause is between 45 and 55, but some women will be earlier, and some a little later.

  • We provide personalised, bespoke perimenopause and menopause care, with highly experienced menopause specialist doctors, who are here to support you along your treatment journey.

    We are specialists in more complex menopause care, and can support women with medical or family histories that have made accessing menopause treatment more difficult.

    We are trained in lifestyle medicine as well as menopause care. We use both to fully optimise your symptoms and improve your future health and longevity.

  • In our experience, the best outcomes for women include advice on aspects of your lifestyle which you wish to improve, as well as HRT treatment (if this is something you wish to consider).

    To really improve your current health and wellbeing, and future longevity, we therefore take a comprehensive, holistic approach.

    We may explore aspects of your sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships, stress and mental wellbeing – whatever feels most important to you. We are both trained in lifestyle medicine, to provide you with specialist support for these aspects of your wellbeing. 

  • Lifestyle medicine helps address the root cause of many common symptoms and supports overall wellbeing. When we improve our diet, activity levels, sleep better and manage stress we can also reduce hot flushes, improve our mood, support weight loss and protect our future bone and heart health. We work with you, to address areas of concern to you, and discuss evidence-based strategies to improve your symptoms via lifestyle.

  • Yes. Lifestyle medicine changes can improve symptoms and your long term health. Some women chose this alone, while others combine it with HRT or other prescribed medications or supplements. We create a personalised plan that works for you, and can be adjusted over time.

  • Not always. HRT can be highly effective for menopause and perimenopause symptoms, but is not your only option. We will discuss your medical history, personal preferences, the symptoms you wish to address and help you decide which treatment options are right for you.

  • Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health.

  • Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health

  • Yes we are registered menopause specialists, and can support all women with their menopause symptoms, and advise on their symptoms, and ways to improve their future health.

  • You will need to confirm with your insurer if menopause treatment is covered. We are not registered with any private health insurers.

  • We recommend that your GP is kept informed about all your medical treatment. In the NHS they hold your full treatment record, which helps improve the safety of your medical treatment.

    We need your consent to contact your GP about your treatment, and will ask you to provide us with the GP surgery NHS secure email address if you are happy for us to contact them. You will often need to ask them for this, explaining what this is for.

    With your permission, we will then send your GP a copy of your clinic letter, outlining your treatment plan and a summary of your consultation. Some women prefer to see their clinic letter before it is sent to their GP. Please do let us know during your appointment if you wish to do this.

  • We aim to be inclusive and sensitive to the diverse needs of individuals experiencing menopause. Please email us on hello@lemalahealth.co.uk so we can ensure our expertise is suitable to help you.

CAN WE HELP YOU?

HRT

  • HRT terminology can be very confusing.

    In the UK body-identical HRT is used to refer to types of HRT that are structurally the same as your own hormones.

    Sometimes this is also referred to as regulated bio-identical HRT. This medication is regulated in the UK, licensed, and is supported by the British Menopause Society and NICE guidelines.

    HRT products are also available which are licensed, and regulated, and supported by the British Menopause Society and NICE guidelines, but are not body-identical. These can also form part of an effective, safe, specialist menopause treatment plan.

    Some body-identical HRT (in particular testosterone products) are not licensed for use in women in the UK. Should this be part of your treatment plan, you will always be advised if your medication is prescribed out of the treatment license, which is our duty of care under GMC (General Medical Council) guidelines.

  • Private prescriptions are processed via an online pharmacy. You will receive an email from them, normally within one working day.

    Please confirm the medication looks correct, and the price is what you expected. They will request payment for the medications, and you will choose a preferred shipping method. This will then be dispatched promptly to you by post.

    Unlike many other menopause clinics, we do not charge a private prescription fee for writing your prescription, during an appointment.

  • In the UK, compounded bio-identical HRT is not licensed or regulated. This is made up by compounding pharmacies, and is not supported by the British Menopause Society. We do not prescribe this type of HRT.

  • Yes, we prescribe testosterone and provide testosterone treatment blood test monitoring.

  • Not always. HRT can be highly effective for menopause and perimenopause symptoms, but is not your only option. We will discuss your medical history, personal preferences, the symptoms you wish to address and help you decide which treatment options are right for you.

  • We specialise in more complex menopause care and have decades of experience in menopause care between us. 

    If you have already been prescribed HRT but have ongoing menopause symptoms, or if you are looking for a change in menopause care provider, we would love to help you.

  • As a private clinic we are unable to prescribe any medications on the NHS, and can only prescribe HRT on a private prescription. Some women will choose to have treatment advice, and discuss the recommendation with their GP for consideration of an NHS prescription. This prescription would be at the discretion of your GP, and may be affected by your local area NHS formulary (what the GP is allowed to prescribe).

    We wish to make all women aware of the NHS HRT prepayment certificate.

    More information on this is available here: www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc/hrt-ppc

  • Side effects can occur quite commonly when starting HRT, or adjusting treatment doses. These will be discussed with you during your appointment, and we will provide you with written information on these.

    Common side effects include: Breast tenderness, mood changes, bleeding pattern changes, and bloating.

    Not all women experience these, and often they settle fairly quickly.

    Some women experience more problematic side effects, and we would always ask you to let us know via email on hello@lemalahealth.co.uk if this was to occur.

    We pride ourselves on offering a personalised bespoke service, and are here to support you with any difficulties you have.

INVESTIGATIONS

  • Yes, we can arrange private blood tests. If this is required medically, or if clinically helpful, we will advise you how to arrange this. 

    We use a private blood test service, called Nationwide Pathology. They are able to offer access to over 150 locations throughout the UK for phlebotomy. They can also arrange for mobile phlebotomists to visit you at home or your place of work. 

    We can refer you for a private scan (often local to you). Examples of this include a pelvic ultrasound scan or a bone density scan.

  • We are happy to look at blood tests taken elsewhere, either on the NHS or privately, during your appointment. These will need to clearly detail your name and date of birth. 

    We would always recommend our patients to have venous blood samples, taken rather than finger-prick testing, for accuracy.