Emergency Gynaecology

The Royal United Hospital provides a range of emergency services that should be tailored to your needs.

Life threatening emergencies that need immediate attention should be managed by dialling 999 and contacting the Emergency Services. They may advise you to use the Accident & Emergency Department.

Emergencies that are not immediately life threatening are best dealt with by your General Practitioner or their Deputy. A telephone call to their service will allow you to describe your symptoms and they can evaluate which service is best suited for you. Whilst they may still advise you to attend A&E or make arrangements to transport you there, they may feel that you would be better served by attending the Emergency Gynaecology Clinic, an early specialist clinic, or a general clinic.

The RUH provides an emergency gynaecological clinic. Your General Practitioner can arrange this by speaking to the Duty Gynaecological Consultant. This means that you may be able to get an urgent assessment. Unfortunately the rules mean that there is no way that you can access this service without your General Practitioner’s authorisation. The only way to assess this service is via your GP or their emergency deputy.

The Clinic is situated in the Gynaecological Outpatient Department in the Princess Ann Wing of the Royal United Hospital (see map). It is held every weekday (excluding Bank Holidays) from 12.30-1.30 p.m. Your Doctor may feel that you would benefit from an ultrasound examination, and in those circumstances it is helpful to have your bladder full as the scanning is more effective through a full bladder. However, if it is not possible to have a full bladder then an ultrasound examination can be performed through the vagina, and this does not need a full bladder.

You attend the clinic by going to the Reception Area of Gynaecology Outpatients. Your GP will have notified Reception and they will be expecting you. If your GP or Nurse Specialists has arrange an ultrasound examination then that will be performed before you see one of the Specialists. After the scan you will probably be seen by a Specialist Nurse with the Gynaecological House Officer. Sometimes other tests including microbiology, blood or X-rays are performed. It is likely that that assessment would be able to give you information to plan ahead. Occasionally, women are admitted to hospital and your own Doctor will be able to advise you as to whether that is likely and if you need to bring belongings to sustain you through a hospital stay.

It is an emergency service and attendance is unpredictable. This means that there are occasions when there may be a wait to be seen. However, whilst possible, it is unlikely that it would be more than a few hours.