Concierge gynaecology · UK
The pelvic exam - unhurried, and on your terms.
A proper gynaecological examination by a consultant, with time to talk first - and smear, swabs and transvaginal ultrasound in the same visit where they are needed. Female clinician on request, chaperone as standard, stop at any point.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant gynaecologist, with time to listen
Forty-five unhurried minutes with a specialist - not a seven-minute slot. The examination is only useful when the history before it has been heard properly.
- 02
Everything in one visit where possible
Examination, pelvic ultrasound, swabs and smear can usually happen in the same appointment - one journey, one set of results, one clear plan.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation - including when no examination is needed at all - is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private pelvic examination costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner gynaecology clinics. Send the details and we quote a firm all-in figure, with cover checked.
In short
Consultation with examination: £250–£450, findings explained the same visit.
| Visit type | Indicative range | Typical duration | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultant gynaecology consultation with pelvic examination | £250–£450 | 30–45 min | Findings same visit |
| Consultation + transvaginal ultrasound | £400–£700 | 45–60 min | Scan reported same visit |
| Cervical screening (smear with HPV testing) | £150–£300 | 10 min | Results in 1–2 weeks |
| STI swab panel | £150–£350 | 10 min | Results in 2–7 days |
| Well-woman package (exam, smear, swabs, ultrasound) | £550–£950 | 60–75 min | Full results in 1–2 weeks |
Your GP provides examinations and NHS cervical screening free of charge, and for routine screening that is often the sensible route - we say so when it is. Private visits earn their fee when you need time, same-day ultrasound, rapid results or a consultant’s continuity for ongoing symptoms.
The problem
Gynaecological symptoms are too often examined in a hurry - or not at all.
Years of pain normalised, bleeding investigated by phone, examinations skipped for lack of time or a chaperone. The examination is basic medicine - done well, it changes courses.
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Time before touch
The history decides what the examination is for. We book appointments long enough for the conversation to finish before the couch is involved.
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One visit, not four
Examination, smear, swabs and ultrasound in the same sitting where indicated - no cycle of referrals, callbacks and repeat speculum examinations.
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Comfort is clinical, not cosmetic
Female clinician, chaperone, smaller instruments, a stop-word, or no internal examination at all - arranged in advance, because a tolerable examination is a better examination.
The journey
From enquiry to answers - what happens, in order.
One team from first message through the visit, the results and whatever comes next.
Phase 1 · Before your visit
History, booking, preferences
Phase 2 · The visit
Consultation, examination, tests
Phase 3 · After
Results and plan
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Your symptoms or the reason for the check, your cycle and contraception, screening history, and anything that makes examinations difficult for you.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the right gynaecologist, what the visit should include - examination, ultrasound, swabs, smear - and a clear price for the whole thing.
- 03
Before
Booked around your cycle, and your comfort
Some tests are best at certain cycle times. If you want a female clinician, a longer appointment or a companion present, that is arranged now, not negotiated on the day.
- 04
Before
Nothing special to prepare
No fasting, no bowel prep. Come as you are - a smear is best not booked during a period, and that is about the only constraint.
- 05
The visit
The consultation and examination
History first, at length. Then, with your consent and a chaperone offered, an abdominal check, a speculum examination and a two-handed internal examination - a few minutes in total.
- 06
The visit
Tests in the same sitting
Swabs, a cervical screening sample or a transvaginal ultrasound follow immediately where indicated - no second appointment, no second speculum where it can be avoided.
- 07
After
Results and the plan
Findings explained before you leave, written results within days, and a follow-up plan - treatment, referral, or simply reassurance with a date for your next routine screen.
Typical end-to-end: appointments within a week, examination findings the same visit, lab results in 1–2 weeks.
When it helps
When a pelvic examination earns its place.
The situations we see most, plus the one symptom that must never wait for a routine appointment.
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Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
Persistent, cyclical or intercourse-related pain - the examination localises tenderness and guides which scan comes next.
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Abnormal bleeding
Heavier periods, bleeding between periods, after sex or after menopause. Examination plus ultrasound is the standard first work-up.
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Unusual discharge or infection symptoms
Discharge, itch, odour or pelvic inflammatory symptoms - examined, swabbed and usually treated at the same visit.
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A lump, bulge or dragging sensation
A feeling of something coming down, or a lump felt at the entrance - examination grades any prolapse and rules out other causes.
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Cervical screening due
A smear with HPV testing, taken by a consultant, at a time that suits you - with the examination done properly around it.
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Pain or difficulty with sex
Superficial or deep dyspareunia has findable causes - skin conditions, muscle spasm, endometriosis. A careful examination starts the answer.
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A well-woman check
No symptoms, but due a proper review - examination, screening and ultrasound in one visit, with a written summary of everything.
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Red flag: postmenopausal bleeding
Any bleeding after menopause needs urgent assessment to exclude womb cancer - a two-week-wait referral or an urgent private slot, never a routine booking.
What the visit includes
Built from parts - only the ones you actually need.
A pelvic examination is not one fixed ritual. Each element is included, adapted or skipped on the basis of your history and your consent.
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The history - half the diagnosis
Cycle, bleeding pattern, pain, contraception, screening and sexual history, taken without hurry. Most gynaecological diagnoses are made here, before any glove is worn.
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Abdominal examination
A hands-on check of the lower abdomen for tenderness, masses or an enlarged uterus - always the first step, before any internal examination.
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Speculum examination
A smooth plastic speculum lets the clinician see the cervix and vaginal walls - the step that allows smears, swabs and assessment of discharge or prolapse. Seconds to a minute or two.
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Bimanual examination
Two gloved fingers internally with the other hand on the abdomen assess the size, position and tenderness of the uterus and ovaries.
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Cervical screening (smear test)
A soft brush samples cervical cells for HPV testing and cytology - the screening test that has cut cervical cancer dramatically. Takes moments during the speculum step.
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Swabs and infection testing
Samples for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, thrush, bacterial vaginosis and other infections, taken during the same examination.
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Transvaginal ultrasound
A slim internal ultrasound probe images the uterus, lining and ovaries in detail - the natural companion to the examination, done in the same visit in most of our clinics.
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Examination under adaptation
Smaller specula, different positions, a stop-anytime agreement, or examination deferred entirely - for anyone with pain conditions, previous trauma or simply anxiety. You set the pace.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of gynaecology clinics, we picked them.
Consultant-led women’s health clinics across London and the major UK cities. Introductions are made privately, once we understand what you need.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
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Consultant gynaecologists - every examination performed or directly supervised by a specialist
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Female clinicians available on request at every partner clinic
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Chaperones offered as standard, and unhurried appointment lengths
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Same-visit ultrasound, screening and swabs, with rapid written results
Comfort and consent
What to expect - honestly.
A pelvic examination carries almost no physical risk. What it demands is care in how it is done - and honesty about what it can and cannot tell you.
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Consent, chaperones and control
Nothing happens without your explicit agreement, a chaperone is always offered, and you can pause or stop at any point. These are not courtesies - they are the standard of care.
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Discomfort, not pain
A well-performed examination may feel briefly uncomfortable or pressured, but should not be painful. Say so if it hurts - the examination changes or stops.
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Spotting after a smear
Light spotting for a day after cervical screening is common and harmless. Heavier bleeding is not expected and deserves a call.
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The examination has limits
Normal findings do not exclude endometriosis, early ovarian disease or other pathology - which is why persistent symptoms lead on to ultrasound or MRI rather than reassurance alone.
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If examinations are difficult for you
Vaginismus, pelvic pain conditions, past trauma and anxiety are all common reasons examinations feel impossible. Told in advance, a good clinician adapts everything - including doing less.
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No routine risks worth the name
A pelvic examination has no meaningful physical risks. The real risks are a rushed examination, a missed history, or a result that never gets followed up - the failures our process is built to prevent.
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Your smear result explained
HPV-negative means back to routine recall. HPV-positive with normal cells means a repeat in a year. Abnormal cells mean colposcopy - a closer look, not a cancer diagnosis.
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Screening intervals
NHS cervical screening runs three- to five-yearly from 25 to 64 depending on nation and HPV status. Private screening can be more frequent, but more is not automatically better - we advise honestly.
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Red flags between check-ups
Postmenopausal bleeding, bleeding after sex, persistent bloating for more than three weeks, or new pelvic pain with fever need prompt review - not a wait for the next routine appointment.
Reading your results letter
Your results letter in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whatever the visit included, the letter the gynaecologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Clinical shorthand can read alarmingly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through your results before any follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Why you attended, and what was asked
The symptoms or screening reason, the key points from your history, and what the visit set out to answer.
- 02 Technique
What was examined and sampled
Which examinations were performed, what samples were taken - smear, swabs - and whether ultrasound was done in the same sitting.
- 03 Findings
What was found
The examination and scan findings in plain language - normal where normal, and precisely described where not.
- 04 Impression
The plan
Read this first: the diagnosis or working diagnosis, any treatment started, results still awaited and their dates, and exactly what happens next.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Symptom-driven gynaecology consultations and examinations are usually covered; routine screening often is not. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about the pelvic exam.
Quick answers on what happens, comfort, who needs one, cost and the GP route.
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What actually happens during a pelvic exam?
Three short steps, after a proper conversation: a hands-on check of your lower abdomen; a speculum examination, where a smooth plastic instrument gently opens the vagina so the cervix can be seen and any samples taken; and a bimanual examination, where the clinician assesses the uterus and ovaries with two gloved fingers internally and one hand on your abdomen. The examination itself takes only a few minutes, a chaperone is offered, and you can stop at any point.
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Does it hurt?
It should not. Most women describe pressure and brief discomfort rather than pain, particularly at the speculum step. If anything genuinely hurts, say so immediately - pain is diagnostic information, not something to endure, and the clinician will adjust technique, switch to a smaller speculum or stop. If you have vaginismus, pelvic pain or past trauma, tell us when booking and the whole appointment is planned around your comfort.
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Do I need a pelvic exam if I have no symptoms?
Routine annual pelvic examinations in women with no symptoms are no longer recommended by most evidence-based guidance - the useful screening test is the cervical smear with HPV testing, on its scheduled interval. Where an examination earns its place is when there are symptoms: pain, abnormal bleeding, discharge, a bulge or difficulty with sex. A good well-woman check is built around that evidence, and we will tell you honestly what you do and do not need.
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How much does a private pelvic exam cost in the UK?
A consultant gynaecology consultation including examination typically costs £250–£450. Adding a transvaginal ultrasound brings the visit to £400–£700, a private smear with HPV testing runs £150–£300, and a full well-woman package with examination, screening, swabs and ultrasound is usually £550–£950. We confirm a firm all-in figure within one working day.
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Can I ask for a female doctor and bring someone with me?
Yes to both, always. Every clinic in our network can provide a female gynaecologist on request - tell us when you enquire and we book accordingly. A trained chaperone is offered as standard regardless of the clinician’s gender, and you are welcome to bring a friend, partner or relative into the room as well. None of this needs justifying.
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How is this different from what my GP offers?
Your GP can and does perform pelvic examinations and smears on the NHS, free of charge - and for routine screening that route works well. The private difference is time and consolidation: a 45-minute consultant appointment, examination, smear, swabs and transvaginal ultrasound in one visit, results within days, and direct continuity with the same specialist if anything needs treating. For symptoms that have gone unanswered, that consolidation is often what breaks the cycle.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Pelvic ultrasound
Imaging of the uterus and ovaries.
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Pelvic floor physiotherapy
Specialist rehab for the pelvic floor.
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Pelvic floor disorder treatment
Prolapse and incontinence - the full pathway.
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Endometriosis - condition guide
Diagnosis and treatment options.
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Menopause - condition guide
Symptoms, HRT and support.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more