Definition of Urogynaecologist

• Dedicated Urogynaecology Clinic or equivalent per week including secondary and tertiary referrals, as part of a multidisciplinary service.
• Evidence of training in a Unit, which provides the full range of investigations and treatments required for training.
• Urodynamics experience e.g. Special Skills Training.
• Regular Urodynamic sessions (minimum of one per month) either personally or in a supervisory capacity.
• Provide three clinical sessions in Urogynaecology per week.
• Surgery: One major urogynaecology procedure associated with pelvic floor dysfunction i.e. incontinence and prolapse per working week per year.
• Audit e.g. BSUG surgical audit
• CME review; proportion of CME in urogynaecology

Those who work part-time should consider the proportion of the week dedicated to Urogynaecology and the definition used on the pro-rata basis.
Those who do not fulfil the criteria for the title of “Urogynaecologist” will in no way be disadvantaged in that they will still continue their current practice. It is unlikely that such individuals use the term Urogynaecologist at present.

Urogynaecologists may have different evidences of training.

A subspecialty trained urogynaecologist or subspecialist, would have undertaken 3 years of subspecialty training in one of the 14 or so subspecialty training centres in the country. Usually only one doctor is subspecialty trained in each of those training centres at a time. Here, the doctor would have focussed on Urogynaecology totally for the 3 years allowing a very deep study of the field including research and as such they are classed as ‘subspecialty trained.’

Another means of training is an ATSM/SITMs advanced skills module. In the last 2 years of the general O&G training programme, trainees undertake a minimum of two ATSM/SITMs which can include advanced labour ward, medical education, menopause and urogynaecology amongst about 18 different modules. These are concise modules which concentrate on a specific area of clinical practice based on the areas on which the trainee, will wish to focus their consultant career.