What are the NICE guidelines for post menopausal bleeding?

[MrsPelligrinoPetrichor]

I thought it was scan under the 2 week path way , am I wrong? Need to get my facts straight because the surgery are trying to fob me off and say it's only 2 weeks AFTER the scan, but that could be ages.

Thanks in advance 😊

If it’s over a year since your periods stopped and you’re over 55, it’s a 2 week appt under the cancer referral pathway, as a precaution (not trying to worry you!).
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/gynaecological-cancers-recognition-referral/diagnosis/symptoms-suggestive-of-gynaecological-cancers/

That's what I was looking at as well and lower down the list it's the same for under 55s too.

I haven't had a period for 2 years.

Yep, I had very early menopause and was referred for bleed on the 2 week pathway just as DSGR states.

good luck, OP.

Right, thanks for replying, need to chase this up tomorrow.

What's DSGR please?

Hi OP, I work in general ultrasound so not the PMB clinic but have some knowledge of the pathways. You are correct. You shouldn't be waiting more than 2 weeks for a scan.
Who is giving you this information at your surgery? I'd be making a formal complaint to the practice manager and making your self a nuisance to get on the correct pathway. You can refer them to the public NHS webpage for Postmenopausal bleeding, it says you should see a specialist in 2 weeks, in the second paragraph down. Utterly horrifying that this kind of thing is happening and I hope you're ok.

Sorry for the confusion, it is the previous poster’s username!

2WW, I am sure. I got a scan within 2 weeks.
Good luck, hopefully it's just one of those things.

Ha ha , I see that now 🤣

The GP referred me as urgent but not the 2 week pathway and then the receptionist told me when I complained that it was 2 weeks AFTER I had the scan of necessary.

I will be putting in a complaint .

Thanks, not overly worried yet as I know there's loads of reasons for bleeding but it's over 2 weeks now and am fee up of being fobbed off.

Very odd message from the surgery @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

What are they saying should happen after 2 weeks? I don't understand what they mean!

You should have the scan within 2 weeks of seeing/ talking to your GP about it.

Obviously there are other deadlines after that for the appt with a consultant, to discuss the results. (Or maybe just a letter to your GP?)

I have read in the media that the 2-week goal is not always happening at the moment, for all kinds of investigations, because of the backlog.

If you know where you are having the scan, why not ring that department and ask where you are on the waiting list?

They were saying I was referred to the gynecology dept for a scan, and when that happened if there was an issue then they'd refer me on the 2 week path way. So no time limit on the scan referral in the first instance which is incorrect.

I had a similar problem with my GP practice. They fobbed me off several times and then prescribed Vagifem a hormone treatment, to help. It was only when I queried using Vagifem, as I have a blood clotting disorder, and they contacted a gynaecologist for clarification, that I got an urgent two week referral.

I had a 10cm x 6cm malignant tumour on my left ovary, causing the bleeding. I had massive surgery to remove everything. I complained but it never went anywhere and I was too sick to follow it up. We changed GPs.

That was almost 10 years ago and I remain free of cancer.

Bizarre.

As this came from the receptionist, they clearly don't know what's what!

I'd call the dept wherever the scan is and ask how long the waiting list is. Bypass the GP and phone the scanning dept.

So glad you're well now 😊

It came from the GP,she went and checked and called me back!

Just tried to chase this up and it's been put through but will be 2 weeks again- that will be over a month since I phoned.

A medical secretary is going to phone me back this morning.

Ffs

It's a dreadful situation @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor . We've just paid for our son to have a private appointment, as his GP was pathetic. It cost £200 to see a consultant. If you go privately and they think there is an issue, they can see you on the NHS. It's a back door way of getting seen on the NHS. Getting to see a private consultant is easy. Just call your local private hospital and ask for a gynae appointment. You'll be seen within days.

Sorry this is happening. It must be very stressful for you.

There are not many private hospitals that will do a scan on request without a dr requesting it (either a GP or a consultant.)

Some, but not all, gynaes will do the scan and tell you the results. Others, will refer you to radiology for a radiologist to do the scan (in the private hospital.)

This could take 2 weeks depending on who is on holiday. Many drs are away at the moment (school hols!)

It can involve 2 appointments- one for the scan then the other with the consultant gynae to talk through the results and 'what next' (if anything.)

Fees are around £200-£300 for a gynae appt and roughly the same for a scan.

There are cheaper scanning centres around- the ones who do pregnancy scans- but TBH I'd not risk having a scan done there as very few of the staff are doctors, they are just trained in ultrasound.

A different issue but I had extreme shoulder pain and the GPs weren't interested. I paid to see a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who said he would treat me on the NHS as I didn't have medical insurance. I had an MRI and an x-ray followed by a subacromial decrompression, all on the NHS but in a private hospital.

If anyone is struggling to access the NHS through their GP, it might be worth trying to get seen privately. All the Consultants, who work privately, also work for the NHS.

They've done it, I was emailed the referral letter like I asked. On it says if I haven't heard from the hospital by Tuesday I am to ring them directly.

I will be putting on a complaint to the surgery and have the email and who to email.