Bridging the Knowledge Gap: How London’s Vulva Pain Clinics Are Making a Difference – Many GPs Lack Training — Here’s How Clinics Are Stepping In
Here at the London Vulva Clinic, our world-class Vulva Doctors are well known for making a positive life changing difference to sufferers of vulvodynia and vulva pain. – And this does not just apply to those across the UK – many of our former, new and existing patients, come from various parts of Europe. – Something that has been successfully facilitated by our online and in-person consultation availability with our leading Vulva Pain Doctors.
The Double Whammy of Many UK Vulva Pain Sufferers
Anyone familiar with vulva pain, can know that the feeling of having a red hot poker up your private, being over sensitive to countless things ‘down there’, and being blocked from having a normal healthy sexual relationship, is all too much to bare. And then when the NHS is drawn into the equation: for the substantial percentage of women who have to wait months and even years for an appointment – and then either get brushed off, told its all ‘in their mind,’ or misdiagnosed, then this can mean a double whammy.
Facing Facts
“NHS England is actively assessing ‘workforce training gaps’ and ‘future clinical training needs’, the Government has said in response to calls for GPs to have more training in women’s reproductive health conditions. A report from the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee at the end of last year, said too often women experienced ‘medical misogyny’ and are not being listened to when presenting with symptoms” [1].
So Why is This ‘Medical Misogyny’ Happening?
In a nutshell, it seems that in the UK, women’s conditions have been ignored. Naturally, here at the London Vulva Clinic, our team of Vulva Consultants, find this situation totally unacceptable, and do all they can to help educate sufferers. In fact, one of our leading Vulva Doctors, Dr Christopher Jenner, MB BS, FRCA, FFPMRCA, has written a highly sought after book entitled, Viva La Vulva, to help anyone with vulvodynia or vulva pain.
Of note, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee has finally compiled “a raft of recommendations around education for GPs, and measures to check they had up-to-date training, including mandatory inclusion of women’s health in appraisal checks” [2], – crucial elements that should have been addressed many years ago.
Putting a Spotlight on the Status Quo
“GPs need more training to improve diagnosis and care of women’s reproductive health conditions, a group of MPs has argued” [2]
Yes, absolutely, to the above…
In the UK, if we shed light on the hidden cold hard facts of the matter, the truth is that, unlike experienced Vulva Pain Doctors, the majority of GPs have not undergone the vital additional years of training and in-house clinical practice and expertise in order to be able to:
- Suspect or recognise the underlying cause of the patient’s pain by reviewing their medical and sexual history, asking pertinent questions, spending time listening to them, and conducting a comprehensive examination using the latest tests and scans using state-of-the-art technology
- Offer patients a research-backed multifaceted protocol which shows that multiple treatments carried out simultaneously have a synergetic effect, which optimises results. For example, our Vulva Consultants (who patients can speak to either in-person or online), will provide you with a Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan which you can get started on as soon as you have received an accurate diagnosis. This is likely to include the latest research-backed medications, leading-edge therapies, and injectables; as well as nutrition and lifestyle guidance
“While MPs recognised the ‘workplace pressures’ GPs face due to high demand, they said the ‘overwhelming concern remains that women who do present with symptoms are not being listened to and are dismissed far too readily” [2].
So contact us here at the Vulva Pain Clinic: you will be listened to, and our Vulva Specialists will help you…
References
[1]. Pulse Todt (2025). “NHSE assessing GP ‘training gaps’ on women’s health.”
[2]. Pulse Today (2024). “GPs need women’s health training to end ‘medical misogyny’, say MPs.”https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/clinical-areas/womens-health-gynaecology-obstetrics/gps-need-womens-health-training-to-end-medical-misogyny-say-mps/