I'm new here..Can i choose where i can be referred to to see an Endometriosis specialist within the NHS?

Hi All, after years of struggle I've finally been offered a diagnostic laparoscopy for a suspected Endometriosis at a general gynecology at my local hospital and i'm currently awaiting for a surgery date. The gynecologist i had (and the one who will be carrying out the operation) was wonderful and caring but she did point out during our appointment (2 weeks ago) that she is not an endometriosis specialist but she can treat minor to medium endometriosis, however if she find anything complicated she will not touch it and i will have to be referred to a specialist center at a different hospital to have them treated. She said that she will carry out excision for larger endometriosis and burn off the smaller ones using heat. Did some research and i discovered that deep excision is the best procedure for treating endometriosis and burning is not really the best way to go! To be honest i am not even sure why the heat procedure is still practiced when it doesn't seem to work in most cases and ends up causing more pain to the patient later on!

Sorry back to the point, whilst browsing though the bsge.org.uk website i discovered that there is an Endometriosis specialist center at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth which is not too far from where i live. Now i'm sure my gynecologist is a skilled surgeon but i would rather prefer to be looked at and treated by a specialist than a general gynecologist, even at the initial stage. My query is that since i am already quite deep into the whole diagnostics process is there any chance i could change to see a specialist instead! The Portsmouth hospital is in a different county though. Not sure if this limits my options on where i can be referred to? Or does the NHS process usually involve getting diagnosed first and only then be referred to a specialist should one be required? How does the process work? I mean i already had to go through so many hurdles to get this first Laparoscopy and i understand there is a possibility of even longer waiting time should i decide to change hospitals but i would rather wait a little longer and bear the daily pelvic pain i suffer from if i get to see a specialist and get things sorted the first round. Or is private the only other option? Any info and assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Lindle]

Treatment in the centres is tertiary care and there are referral criteria. Your surgeon is correct in that you would be treated first in secondary care and referred on if anything beyond stage 1 or 2 was found. She must have 'expertise' at diagnosing and treating endo though as per NICE guidelines so must have some additional training.

This thread might be helpful:

healthunlocked.com/endometr...

[Hidden in reply to Lindle]

Thank you Lindle, the linked guidelines have been very helpful in understanding the process of referrals . I just hope that i get the surgery date sooner than later. Eagerly awaiting to get my life back on track!