Guide

Getting menopause care in the UK: NHS pathway, private costs and what to ask

In most of the UK, the route to specialist menopause care starts with your GP, and NHS waiting lists for gynaecology care are long. Some areas allow self-referral to an NHS menopause clinic, so it is worth checking locally. Private consultations are available too, with costs that vary clinic to clinic. This page explains how the system works and what to ask, without recommending or linking to any specific provider.

The NHS route

For most women, the first step towards menopause care on the NHS is a GP appointment. Your GP can assess your symptoms, discuss HRT and non-hormonal options, and prescribe directly, which is how the majority of NHS menopause care is actually delivered. If your case is more complex, for example where symptoms do not settle, there are additional health factors to weigh up, or premature or early menopause is involved, your GP can refer you on to a specialist NHS menopause clinic.

It is worth being realistic about timing. NHS England's own waiting-time figures, as of the RTT data published in August 2026, show that gynaecology, the specialty menopause referrals typically sit within, has one of the longest waiting lists in the NHS, with the total waiting list for gynaecology treatment running to over half a million people, and only around 57% of patients seen within the NHS's 18-week target. These figures are published monthly and move from one release to the next, so treat this as the latest published position at the time this page was written rather than an exact-forever number, and expect that a specialist referral can take some time to come through.

Can I self-refer?

In some parts of the country, yes. A number of NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) have introduced a self-referral option that lets you book directly into their menopause service without going through a GP first. In most areas, though, a GP referral is still the standard and required route. Because this varies by area and changes as services are set up or restructured, this page cannot promise what applies where you live. The most reliable way to find out is to ask your GP practice directly or check your local ICB's website for its current menopause pathway.

What private menopause care typically costs

Some women choose to see a private menopause specialist instead of, or alongside, NHS care, often to avoid a wait. There is no single official published source for private menopause fees; based on published price lists at UK private clinics, a first consultation commonly costs somewhere in the region of £150 to £450, with follow-up appointments often £100 to £300, and a first year of private care including any prescribed medication can commonly run to several hundred pounds or more, on top of consultation fees.

These are reported ranges, not a guarantee of what any individual clinic will charge you. Pricing structures differ between providers, some bundle follow-ups and some charge for each visit separately, and medication costs sit outside the consultation fee. Get an exact quote directly from any clinic you are considering before booking.

Questions worth taking to your GP

NICE guideline NG23 supports a patient-centred conversation about menopause and HRT, weighing your personal history against the options available. Questions that tend to make that conversation more useful include:

Writing your questions down before the appointment, and noting your symptoms and their pattern beforehand, tends to make the conversation more productive on both sides.

A note on what this page does not do

This page does not recommend or link to any specific clinic, clinician or booking service, and it is not a directory. Finding the right local option, whether NHS or private, is a personal decision, and your NHS GP or your own research into providers in your area is the right starting point for that. Our role here is to explain how the system works and what things typically cost, not to point you towards a particular provider.

Sources

Read more

See our guides to menopause and perimenopause, and our HRT prescribing tracker for background on how HRT prescribing has changed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get an NHS referral for menopause care?

The standard route is to see your GP first. Your GP can manage most menopause care directly, including prescribing HRT, and can refer you on to a specialist NHS menopause clinic if your symptoms are complex or do not settle with the usual options. There is no way to book an NHS specialist appointment without going through this GP step in most areas.

Can I refer myself to an NHS menopause clinic?

Sometimes, but it depends entirely on where you live. A number of NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) now offer a self-referral option for their menopause service, while most still require a GP referral. Ask your GP practice or check your local ICB website for the current pathway in your area, since this page cannot tell you what applies where you live.

How much does a private menopause consultation cost in the UK?

Private clinics report a wide range rather than a fixed price. A first consultation commonly costs somewhere in the region of £150 to £450, with follow-up appointments often £100 to £300, and a first year of private care including medication can commonly run to several hundred pounds or more. Always get an exact quote directly from any clinic you contact, as pricing structures vary.

What should I ask at my GP appointment about HRT?

Useful questions include what type of HRT might suit you, what the risks and benefits are given your personal and family health history, how long you should try an option before judging whether it is working, what happens if the first option does not suit you, whether non-hormonal options exist for your symptoms, and when you will be reviewed.

This is information, not medical advice, and is not a substitute for a registered clinician. It does not recommend or link to any specific provider. If you are struggling with menopause symptoms, speak to your GP about your options.

OM

Oliver Mackman

Editor, Her Vitals

Oliver leads Her Vitals's editorial coverage of women's life-stage health and supplements. He curates and reviews existing branded products across trying to conceive, pregnancy, postnatal, perimenopause, menopause and the senior years, weighing what the evidence supports against guidance from bodies such as EFSA, the NHS and NICE, and is clear that the content is information rather than medical advice.

Last reviewed: 4 August 2026

Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Editor. Editorial review against published guidance; not a clinical review.