BSGE Centre Northern Ireland

[Lina2]

Hello, just wondering if anyone has any experience of the BSGE Centre in Northern Ireland and has anyone been referred from Belfast? Is that even possible?

[Summer_Solstice]

I don't have experience and will be interested to hear what responses you get!My GP has told me he can only refer to the local hospital.

The local hospital gynae has told me they will not be able to do any further surgery on me but that they have no way to refer me anywhere else either!

[Lina2 in reply to Summer_Solstice]

Yes me too! I have stage 4 endo and one of my consultants has advised (for their part of the surgery) they believe sending me to another hospital in Belfast would provide better outcomes and they would not recommend proceeding with them. Wondering therefore, as my surgery is complex, if the only BSGE centre in NI would be an even better option for me seeing as it’s their speciality. Haven’t heard anything about the new centre.

[Summer_Solstice in reply to Lina2]

I phoned the centre at Altnagelvin and they told me they only see patients who are in the northern trust. My GP and the local hospital consultant recommended I see a guy in Belfast privately, but all info I found online from people who had seen him was incredibly negative so I'm honestly not sure where to turn to next!

[NicJM in reply to Summer_Solstice]

Honestly - I think northern Ireland ladies should all club together and start legal proceedings - we pay for an NHS that is no help whatsoever.. It’s scandalous, so unfair. 😢

[sunny2408]

Hi, I seen the consultant from this centre privately in Ballykelly (it wasn’t too expensive for an appointment and he didn’t charge me for internal scan). He then referred me to the endo specialist nurse in Altnagelvin Hospital. She was initially great as referred me to pelvic floor physio and pain management in my own trust area. Apart from that, I didn’t find it overly beneficial.

I was previously diagnosed via laparoscopy in 2021 and as symptoms reoccurred, I went for an MRI privately. It came back not showing any deep infiltrating endo and I sort of felt that the private consultant and nurse in Altnagelvin washed their hands of me. Now stuck seeing general gynae in se trust and zero help, just told to try and get pregnant!!

[Lina2 in reply to sunny2408]

That’s disheartening to hear sunny2408, you’d like to think the BSGE Centre would be fighting your corner to make sure the care you receive is suitable long term and allows you to have a good quality of life. Good information to know though, thank you for sharing. I do think advising people to get pregnant if they not planning or wanting to start a family (perhaps ever) is just lazy.

[NicJM]

Hi, I have stage 4 endo & a frozen pelvis & chocolate cyst on my ovary - I have been waiting since June 2019 for a hysterectomy at Altnagelvin - I have a complaint in at the moment, constantly fobbed off - I don’t even think they are doing surgeries at the moment - our health service is in crisis! I would definitely not recommend them, they have treated me terribly.. the reply to my complaint did not even address the length of time I have been waiting for surgery.

Best of luck xx

[Lina2 in reply to NicJM]

NicJM, thank you for advising. Thought they would need to be doing at least 20 surgeries a year to keep the BSGE status. Thanks for the info, sounds like a referral may leave me worse off. Something to consider. I’m also waiting on hysterectomy (+ bowel resection + bladder reconstruction). In contrast GB seems to be littered with centres.

[NicJM in reply to Lina2]

It’s so frustrating & unfair. I will keep you posted if I get anywhere. X