Formerly a consultant within the NHS, gynaecologist Anne Henderson has more than 30 years experience and is a leader in her field. Today she runs her own private practise, where she is passionate to share information such as the dangers involved in using contraceptive injections, revolutionary new treatments for PMS, and the transformative benefits of hormone therapy.
Q: What led you into obstetrics and gynaecology?
A: Even when I was doing my first degree at Cambridge University I was fascinated by the subject and did my undergraduate dissertation on cervical cancer.Â
Q: Tell us about the concerns that led you to leave the NHS?
A: Over the 30 years that I was there I saw it change massively, with top heavy management and a host of other problems. I was not involved, but while I was at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust there was a maternal death, which led to a manslaughter charge - that’s an extreme case, but an example of how bad things can get. I was shocked by how little desire there was really to improve the service and very aware of the near misses.
Q: Who comes to see you in your private clinic?
A: There is a misunderstanding that people who come are wealthy. In fact all kinds of women are feeling left behind by the health service, realising there is help out there, and coming to find it.
Q: What sorts of issues do you mainly treat?
A: I often see patients who are menopausal. The benefits of HRT so far outweigh the risks that specialists like myself cannot understand why there is not a national programme of HRT. The new HRT is not associated with breast cancer, and this is not being spelt out. Moreover, it is the biggest step forward in disease prevention in 50 years; there is evidence that if you have it the death rate from strokes and heart attacks is down by 50%. It is preposterous that the information is not out there, and it is entirely to do with cost.
Q: What else?
A: Women come to me with PMS, heavy painful periods, also mood swings and migraines - real problems where they have to take time off work. We can really change this. In the last few years fantastic new pills have come out that are a world away from the old oestrogen ones, with far fewer side effects. They work wonders. I also work with a herbalist whose treatments are scientifically proven.
Q: If you could put out one message what would it be?
A: I have two. If you have PMS, don’t suffer in silence, and don’t self-medicate. With specialist advice, there is so much that can be done. My other bugbear is contraception. The long-acting contraceptives the Depo injection and the implant can have substantial side effects in terms of osteoporosis: it is crazy to give it to women in their 30s and 40s when their oestrogen is at rock bottom; it will be clobbering their bones. GPs push them because they cut down on unplanned pregnancy, but I would encourage women to be very wary.Â
Q: Tell us more about you?
A: I live in Kent. I’m 55. I have three sons, three dogs, three cats, and some hens and ducks. It’s a menagerie.
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