Community Headache Hub

This service is run by the Headache Service at St Georges Hospital. The Hub was set up to improve headache care in the community. The clinics are held at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton, with some appointments held over the telephone or in online group appointments.

What happens in the Headache Hub?

The Headache Hub is a dedicated team of headache specialists, made up of Consultant Neurologists, Allied Health Professionals and General Practitioners (GPs) specialising in headache. The team gives advice and treatment to patients with headache conditions to assist GPs.

The first appointment will normally be face to face. You will be asked to fill in some questions before the appointment so we can understand why you are coming to the Hub and what you need.

After the appointment, you and your GP will get a letter with all the information you discussed at the appointment.

Do I need to bring anything to the appointment?

To help us understand how your headaches affect you, we would like you to bring some information with you to the appointment.

Headache diary

This is important as it tells us how often your headache comes on. Click this link to access our headache diary template or you can bring a copy of your own diary. Please start recording the diary as soon as possible before the appointment.

Previous treatments / medicines you have tried for headache

We need to know which medicines you have tried in the past, what the maximum dose you tried was and for how long. Your GP receptionist will be able to give you a list of your previous medicines.

Before the appointment:

You will receive some questions in the text reminder, but there is also a copy in the appointment letter. Please fill them in either through the text or bring them with you in the appointment letter.

These questions tell us about your headaches and health generally. They help us understand what is important at the appointment.

What happens after the Headache Hub?

You will decide with your headache specialist what the best plan for managing your headache is. Your GP will help you with this plan. You will have a copy of that plan in the letter so that you can make sure it happens.

Some people need to come back to us once a few months later. If so, they may come to a Migraine Group clinic appointment or an individual appointment.

Migraine Group clinic

A Migraine Group Clinic is a group session for 6-8 people with migraine and a headache specialist. Feedback from patients has told us that people with migraine wanted more time for questions and discussion with a headache specialist. Patients also told us that learning from other people with migraine helped them make decisions about their own treatment.

What happens in a Migraine Group Clinic?

The group lasts around 90 minutes and is held online. A headache facilitator supports the sessions, helping patients to get the most from the session. The headache specialist joins the group and discusses any general problems that patients want to address before carrying out individual consultations with each patient in front of the group. The headache facilitator then helps patients to plan treatment and make goals for the future.

Group clinics are also used in other long term medical conditions and are sometimes called Group consultations. You can see further information about these here  Engaging patients differently – group consultations in Croydon GP practices – YouTube

Can someone else attend with me?

Yes, if you think it would be helpful for someone else to be present with you, please let us know. The medical information at the session is confidential. Each person attending must agree to abide by the confidentiality agreement.

Are group clinics used elsewhere?

Since the Covid pandemic the NHS has been using in online group clinics in order to give people safe access to healthcare for different health conditions. Here is a clip about online group clinics.

These are some of the general topics that have been discussed in previous groups.

• What is migraine?
• How to explain what migraine is to others
• What are the different types of migraine and who gets them?
• Migraine triggers
• Migraine treatments and when to take them
• Medication Overuse Headache
• Over the counter medicine for migraine
• Healthy lifestyle approach to migraine
• Talking therapies for migraine
• Complementary therapies for migraine
• Headache diaries
• Migraine and hormones
• How to make decisions about which treatment is right for me
• You will also have time to discuss your specific treatment needs or questions in the individual time you have with the headache specialist.

Individual appointments

These appointments are normally by telephone and are booked by our headache hub co-ordinator.

Referrals

The service accepts referrals from GPs. Referrals are made through the e-Referrals Service.
If you have any questions about the service, please call 0208 725 4163 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm).