Genetic Counsellors assess the risk based on family history and help patients to understand their risk. They support patients to decide if testing is right for them. They interpret complex results, which they translate in a way that is tailored to each patient so their is shared understanding resulting in patients being empowered to make informed healthcare decisions. Genetic Counsellors use techniques from counselling to help patients adjust to having a genetic condition, providing support at a time that can be stressful and highly emotional and to help them make difficult decisions associated with this. It can take time to adjust to new diagnoses and to decide on the best possible course of action. We provide up-to-date unbiased, evidence based information.
There are a number of different situations that might lead you to book a Genetic Counselling consultation.
You have received a diagnosis of a new condition, like breast or bowel cancer, and are wondering if there is an inherited cause
You would like to understand the risk based on family history
There has been a diagnosis of a known genetic condition in yourself or a member of your family
If you have lost one or more pregnancies as a result of a genetic condition
You need support in adjusting to a new genetic condition
You need support in thinking about when and how to disclose information to family
In any of these situations, our clinicians can offer an appoinment to discuss your family health history, talk about the risks of the condition occurring, as well as screening and management for those at increased risk.
If your or a relative in the family has a medical condition which has not yet been formally diagnosed then the person affected would be recommended to seek a medical assessment with a clinical geneticist, as opposed to a genetic counsellor.
If genetic testing is available, the counsellor will tell you about the tests and help you decide if testing would be useful to you.
In many cases, genetic tests will be for healthy carrier status (eg. recessive genes, genes on the X-chromosome, or hereditary rearrangements of the chromosomes). When a carrier of one of these types of genetic conditions is identified, the main implications will be with regard to having a healthy child, and we can provide information regarding options for achieving this.
In some situations the person carrying a familial gene mutation will also be at risk of health problems themselves. If this is the case, we will discuss onward referral to specialist doctors to monitor your future health.
Testing is tailored to each person as the type of test and therefore cost will depend on the condition and if any previous testing has been undertaken.
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