You are very welcome to come and see our specialist doctors at the City of London Migraine Clinic for advice on the management of your migraine and other headaches. Although our patients mostly come from London and the South East, we do see patients from all over the UK and indeed from all over the world.
Here are the most frequently asked questions (F.A.Q.) from patients about coming to see us at The City of London Migraine Clinic. We hope that these will tell you everything you need to know. If you have any other questions please telephone us on 020 7251 3322.
You can download our frequently asked questions leaflet for patients here.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can be seen?
2. What service does the City of London Migraine Clinic provide?
3. How much does it cost?
4. Are your doctors qualified?
5. How do I make an appointment?
6. How long does an appointment take?
7. How many visits do I need?
8. What should I bring with me?
9. Why should I keep a headache diary?
10. Where are you located?
11. What if I have special needs?
12. Where can I get general information about migraine?
1. Who can be seen?
Anyone needing help with managing migraine and other headaches can be seen.
The Clinic accepts patients living and working in the UK without a GP referral. This makes it easier for patients to be seen and lessens the burden on General Practitioners. However, patients may be referred by their GP if they prefer. GPs are encouraged to refer any of their headache patients. There is no charge involved.
Patients from outside the UK must be seen as private patients. The Clinic also accepts private patients from the UK. All private patients can self refer or be referred by their GP or other physician. Our charges are in accordance with current British Medical Association recommendations. Please contact us for further details.
Don’t worry if you are not sure what kind of headache you have, as our doctors will decide this at your visit. If you think you may have migraine, you can try this quick test to find out by clicking here.
Migraine Test
Go To Top
2. What service does the City of London Migraine Clinic provide?
The City of London Migraine Clinic provides access to a team of doctors with a specialist interest in the management of migraine and other headaches. We offer outpatient appointments by prior arrangement. We welcome all patients from across the UK and abroad.
We are also an active research centre and conduct both independent studies and clinical drug trials. You may be given the opportunity to try new treatments in a clinical study. We ask all our patients to consider taking part in current or future trials, but there is no obligation and our care for you is not affected in any way.
The Clinic is a renowned teaching centre. You may be asked if a visiting specialist doctor, GP, nurse or student could sit in on your consultation. Please let us know if you would prefer for this not to happen.
Go To Top
3. How much does it cost?
The City of London Migraine Clinic is an independent medical charity. We do not receive NHS or government funding and are dependent on your financial support. We will therefore be asking you for a donation and we suggest a minimum of £50 per visit. If you cannot afford £50 we will be grateful for whatever you are able to give.
As the real cost of a consultation is in the region of £180 we ask you to be as generous as you can.
If you are a tax payer please allow us to “Gift Aid” your donation. That way the tax man contributes an extra 28 pence for each pound you give us.
Referring doctors are not charged for referring patients.
You can find out more about our funding and how you can help us here
How we are funded.
Go To Top
4. Are your doctors qualified?
All our medical staff are fully qualified doctors with a specialist interest in headache and are registered with the UK’s General Medical Council. Our doctors provide expertise on various specialist areas including: neurology; women’s health and ophthalmology. You will be assigned to one doctor who you will usually see at each of your visits. If, for any reason, you would prefer to see a different doctor at a future visit, this can easily be arranged.
Go To Top
5. How do I make an appointment?
There are two ways for you to make an appointment:
a) Self-referral
Complete the online form with your contact details and we will call you back. Make an appointment. Alternatively, please telephone the Clinic to make an appointment. We will ask you for your name, address, telephone number and GP’s full name and address.
b) GP referral
Ask to be referred by your GP who will write a letter with a brief description of your relevant headache/medical history. If you have other illnesses or a complicated headache history we would prefer you to be referred by your GP who can give us information about you.
Go To Top
6. How long does an appointment take?
We allow 40 minutes for your first appointment. This gives the doctor plenty of time to take a detailed history of your migraines and general health and to review headache diaries you may have kept (see question 9). You will have a brief examination by the doctor, which will include checking your blood pressure, your eyes, your reflexes and listening to your chest. You will not usually be required to undress. An individual treatment plan will be devised for you and discussed with you.
After your first appointment, a report will be sent to your GP with full details on your diagnosis, recommended drug and non-drug treatment strategies, which may include diet, exercise and complimentary therapies. Your GP will be able to prescribe any necessary medications for you. You will be sent a copy of this report.
Since there are no specific tests for most types of headaches, brain scans and further investigations are not normally required if a diagnosis is clear. Should they be necessary, we will advise this in our report to your GP, who can organise these locally for you.
A follow up appointment lasts for 20 minutes. This will include a review of your diary cards and an assessment of how you are coping with your migraine. Your management strategy may be revised if necessary. A handwritten report will be given to you, for your GP. We will give you a photocopy.
We always try to ensure that our clinics run on time, but this cannot be guaranteed. Please help us by arriving at least 10 minutes early to allow time for registration.
Go To Top
7. How many visits do I need?
After your first appointment we usually offer a follow-up appointment around 3 months later, although this does vary depending on diagnosis, frequency of headaches and individual treatment plans.
After this, your doctor will offer further follow-up appointments only if you and the doctor think it is appropriate. You may call the clinic at any time to arrange a follow-up appointment if this becomes necessary.
Go To Top
8. What should I bring with me?
Please bring your headache diary (see question 9).
The doctor will need to know how many different headaches you have and roughly how old you were when each started, so you may want to make some notes to bring with you. Please also bring a list of current and previous treatments and medications, if you can. We will also need your GP’s name, address and telephone number.
Go To Top
9. Why should I keep a headache diary?
Diary cards provide a great deal of relevant information about your headaches, particularly how often you get them, how long they last and what your symptoms are. They are also valuable in assisting the doctor with diagnosis, assessing trigger factors and assessing the effectiveness of treatments.
If you are able to come to the clinic with diary information at your first visit this will help the doctor to help you. Otherwise you will be given diary cards on your first visit and they will be assessed at your follow up visit. You can download diaries with instructions at the migraine diary page. Alternatively, please send us a stamped addressed envelope and we will send you one.
Go To Top
10. Where are you located?
The City of London Migraine Clinic is located in central London at 22 Charterhouse Square, near Barbican and Farringdon tube stations. We will send you a map with your appointment letter and further details are available on the how to find us page.
Go To Top
11. What if I have special needs?
If you have any special needs then please telephone us to discuss your individual requirements and we will do our very best to help you.
Go To Top
12. Where can I get general information about migraine?
You can get lots of helpful information about living with migraine from the factsheet page and links to other migraine sites from the migraine links page as well as the rest of our website.
Coping with Migraine
A video about Coping with Migraine
courtesy of new-you.tv. (Many thanks)
www.new-you.tv
Go To Top
June 2007
BACK TO HOME PAGE