Patient FAQ
Here are some of the questions we get asked most frequently. If there is something that we have missed or something else that you want to know then please do not hesitate to contact us. We are easiest to reach via phone on 020 7251 3322.
We have also gathered all the questions below into a leaflet which you can download by clicking Patient's FAQ.
1. Who can be seen?
2. Do you only see people with migraine?
3. What services does the Clinic provide?
4. How much does it cost?
5. Do I need a doctors’ referral?
6. Where are you located?
7. How do I make an appointment?
8. What is the waiting time for an appointment?
9. What happens at the appointment and how long does it take?
10. How many visits will I need?
11. Are your doctors qualified?
12. What should I bring with me?
13. Why should I keep a headache diary?
14. Do you see children and adolescents?
15. What if I have special needs?
16. Are you an NHS/private clinic?
17. Can I be seen privately?
18. What if I have private medical insurance?
19. Where can I get general information about headaches?
1. Who can be seen?
Anyone wanting help with managing migraine and/or other headaches can be seen at the Clinic. You do not need a GP’s referral, although we always welcome one as it can provide us with helpful information about your past medical history and any current issues.
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2. Do you only see people with migraine?
No, we also see people with other kinds of headaches, for example cluster headaches and tension-type headaches. If you feel your headaches are a problem for you then you are more than welcome to come and see one of our doctors. However, if you feel there is an underlying neurological problem it may be more appropriate for your GP to refer you to a neurologist.
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3. What service does the 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.
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4. 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. The cost of providing a first consultation is around of £208. We will therefore be asking you for a donation and we suggest a minimum of £100 per visit. If you cannot afford £100 we will be grateful for whatever you are able to give.
If you are a tax payer please allow us to “Gift Aid” your donation. That way the government contributes an extra 28 pence for each pound you give us.
You can find out more about our funding and how you can help us here: how we are funded.
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5. Do I need a doctors’ referral?
No, you do not need to have a doctor's referral, although we always welcome one as they can provide our doctors with helpful information about your background and general medical history. For patients with complicated a medical history and/or chronic conditions we do ask you to provide a referral letter. Referring doctors are not charged for referring patients.
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6. Where are you located?
We are located at number 22 Charterhouse Square in the City of London, between the Barbican Centre and Smithfield’s Market. A map can be found on our ‘Contact details’-page. Our nearest tube stations are the Barbican and Farringdon. There is on-street parking on the square outside, but be aware that we are within the congestion charge-zone.
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7. How do I make an appointment?
There are two main ways of making an appointment: either you can give us a call on 020 7251 3322 and we will arrange an appointment for you while you are on the line; or you can fill in our form and we will then contact you with an appointment. When we make an appointment we will require the following details: your full name, date of birth, home address and a daytime contact telephone number. For patients referred by a medical professional we contact the patient as soon as we receive the referral letter and arrange an appointment directly with them.
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8. What is the waiting time for an appointment?
Demand constantly changes, but the waiting time between making an appointment and the date of the appointment generally fluctuates between 4-8 weeks. Partially due to the nature of migraines we often have last minute cancellations. So if you are keen to be seen as soon as possible and you can attend at short notice, then please mention it when booking an appointment and we will put you on our ‘cancellation list’. This in no way affects the appointment we book for you.
Whether you self-refer or are referred by your GP (or another medical professional) does not affect your waiting time.
Back to top
9. What happens at the appointment and how long does it take?
An initial appointment at the Clinic is scheduled for 40 minutes. This allows plenty of time for taking a detailed history of your headaches and general health, as well as reviewing your headache diary. There will also be a brief physical examination that includes 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 headaches. Your management strategy may be revised if necessary. A brief report will be given to you, one for you and one for your GP.
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.
Back to top
10. How many visits will I need?
Following your initial appointment a follow-up will normally be arranged for you. This is usually scheduled for three months later, although this varies depending on the diagnosis, frequency of headaches and treatment plan. After the follow-up appointment it will be up to you and your doctor whether any further follow-up appointments are scheduled. However, if you feel at any point that you would like another follow-up appointment you are more than welcome to call us and we will arrange this for you.
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11. Are your doctors qualified?
Yes, all our medical staff are fully qualified doctors with a specialist interest in headaches and migraine and are all registered with the UK’s General Medical Council.
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12. What should I bring with me?
Please bring your headache diary (see question 13).
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, full address and telephone number.
Back to top
13. 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 a monthly migraine diary with instructions. Alternatively, please send us a stamped addressed envelope and we will send you one.
Back to top
14. Do you see children and adolescents?
Yes, we welcome children and adolescents as patients to the Clinic.
Back to top
15. 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.
Back to top
16. Are you an NHS/private clinic?
We are not part of the NHS and receive no government funding. Instead we operate as a charity, providing clinical care to people with headaches. We do not charge a fee (unless you see us as a private patient - see question 17 for more details), but we do ask all our patients for a contribution towards the running costs of the Clinic. Please be as generous as you can. Our continued existence depends on your support.
Back to top
17. Can I be seen privately?
Private patients can, as other patients, self-refer or be referred by a medical professional. Patients who are not residents in the UK must be seen as private patients. People resident in the UK can also come and see us privately. For general information please download this: Private patients FAQ. Our charges for private consultation are in accordance with the current British Medical Association’s recommendations. For details please contacts us on +44 (0)20 7251 3322.
Back to top
18. What if I have private medical insurance?
We are able to see people with private medical insurance. Please call us to find out more or if you have any queries.
Back to top
19. Where can I get general information about headaches?
We have some information on this website, including factsheets and links to other online resources. We also have videos on topics including cluster headache, menstrual migraine and coping with migraine.
Back to top
We have also gathered all the questions below into a leaflet which you can download by clicking Patient's FAQ.
1. Who can be seen?
2. Do you only see people with migraine?
3. What services does the Clinic provide?
4. How much does it cost?
5. Do I need a doctors’ referral?
6. Where are you located?
7. How do I make an appointment?
8. What is the waiting time for an appointment?
9. What happens at the appointment and how long does it take?
10. How many visits will I need?
11. Are your doctors qualified?
12. What should I bring with me?
13. Why should I keep a headache diary?
14. Do you see children and adolescents?
15. What if I have special needs?
16. Are you an NHS/private clinic?
17. Can I be seen privately?
18. What if I have private medical insurance?
19. Where can I get general information about headaches?
1. Who can be seen?
Anyone wanting help with managing migraine and/or other headaches can be seen at the Clinic. You do not need a GP’s referral, although we always welcome one as it can provide us with helpful information about your past medical history and any current issues.
Back to top
2. Do you only see people with migraine?
No, we also see people with other kinds of headaches, for example cluster headaches and tension-type headaches. If you feel your headaches are a problem for you then you are more than welcome to come and see one of our doctors. However, if you feel there is an underlying neurological problem it may be more appropriate for your GP to refer you to a neurologist.
Back to top
3. What service does the 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.
Back to top
4. 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. The cost of providing a first consultation is around of £208. We will therefore be asking you for a donation and we suggest a minimum of £100 per visit. If you cannot afford £100 we will be grateful for whatever you are able to give.
If you are a tax payer please allow us to “Gift Aid” your donation. That way the government contributes an extra 28 pence for each pound you give us.
You can find out more about our funding and how you can help us here: how we are funded.
Back to top
5. Do I need a doctors’ referral?
No, you do not need to have a doctor's referral, although we always welcome one as they can provide our doctors with helpful information about your background and general medical history. For patients with complicated a medical history and/or chronic conditions we do ask you to provide a referral letter. Referring doctors are not charged for referring patients.
Back to top
6. Where are you located?
We are located at number 22 Charterhouse Square in the City of London, between the Barbican Centre and Smithfield’s Market. A map can be found on our ‘Contact details’-page. Our nearest tube stations are the Barbican and Farringdon. There is on-street parking on the square outside, but be aware that we are within the congestion charge-zone.
Back to top
7. How do I make an appointment?
There are two main ways of making an appointment: either you can give us a call on 020 7251 3322 and we will arrange an appointment for you while you are on the line; or you can fill in our form and we will then contact you with an appointment. When we make an appointment we will require the following details: your full name, date of birth, home address and a daytime contact telephone number. For patients referred by a medical professional we contact the patient as soon as we receive the referral letter and arrange an appointment directly with them.
Back to top
8. What is the waiting time for an appointment?
Demand constantly changes, but the waiting time between making an appointment and the date of the appointment generally fluctuates between 4-8 weeks. Partially due to the nature of migraines we often have last minute cancellations. So if you are keen to be seen as soon as possible and you can attend at short notice, then please mention it when booking an appointment and we will put you on our ‘cancellation list’. This in no way affects the appointment we book for you.
Whether you self-refer or are referred by your GP (or another medical professional) does not affect your waiting time.
Back to top
9. What happens at the appointment and how long does it take?
An initial appointment at the Clinic is scheduled for 40 minutes. This allows plenty of time for taking a detailed history of your headaches and general health, as well as reviewing your headache diary. There will also be a brief physical examination that includes 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 headaches. Your management strategy may be revised if necessary. A brief report will be given to you, one for you and one for your GP.
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.
Back to top
10. How many visits will I need?
Following your initial appointment a follow-up will normally be arranged for you. This is usually scheduled for three months later, although this varies depending on the diagnosis, frequency of headaches and treatment plan. After the follow-up appointment it will be up to you and your doctor whether any further follow-up appointments are scheduled. However, if you feel at any point that you would like another follow-up appointment you are more than welcome to call us and we will arrange this for you.
Back to top
11. Are your doctors qualified?
Yes, all our medical staff are fully qualified doctors with a specialist interest in headaches and migraine and are all registered with the UK’s General Medical Council.
Back to top
12. What should I bring with me?
Please bring your headache diary (see question 13).
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, full address and telephone number.
Back to top
13. 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 a monthly migraine diary with instructions. Alternatively, please send us a stamped addressed envelope and we will send you one.
Back to top
14. Do you see children and adolescents?
Yes, we welcome children and adolescents as patients to the Clinic.
Back to top
15. 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.
Back to top
16. Are you an NHS/private clinic?
We are not part of the NHS and receive no government funding. Instead we operate as a charity, providing clinical care to people with headaches. We do not charge a fee (unless you see us as a private patient - see question 17 for more details), but we do ask all our patients for a contribution towards the running costs of the Clinic. Please be as generous as you can. Our continued existence depends on your support.
Back to top
17. Can I be seen privately?
Private patients can, as other patients, self-refer or be referred by a medical professional. Patients who are not residents in the UK must be seen as private patients. People resident in the UK can also come and see us privately. For general information please download this: Private patients FAQ. Our charges for private consultation are in accordance with the current British Medical Association’s recommendations. For details please contacts us on +44 (0)20 7251 3322.
Back to top
18. What if I have private medical insurance?
We are able to see people with private medical insurance. Please call us to find out more or if you have any queries.
Back to top
19. Where can I get general information about headaches?
We have some information on this website, including factsheets and links to other online resources. We also have videos on topics including cluster headache, menstrual migraine and coping with migraine.
Back to top
