You can be a member of the BMS but not be on their practitioners list, if they don't meet all criteria or there maybe tiers of membership where you pay more to be on that list.
Perhaps checking shes on the GMC would be more appropriate, if you are concerned about her qualifications.
The BMS is not some jolly little club that you can pay to give you more status! Like i said on the **other thread** it is a professional medical and academic society dedicated to menopause and not anyone can join.
Here is how to be on their accredited list:
A BMS recognised menopause specialist is defined as a healthcare professional who has obtained the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH)/ British Menopause Society (BMS) advanced certificate in menopause care, or completed the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG)/BMS advanced training skills module (ATSM) in menopause care (or equivalent, eg the menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency module of the subspecialty training programme in reproductive medicine) and who:
* is a member of the British Menopause Society
* attends a national (BMS) or international menopause society (eg International Menopause Society, European Menopause and Andropause Society) scientific conference at least once every three years
* provides a minimum of 100 menopause related consultations per year, of which at least 50 are new
* is responsible for ensuring that the specialism is documented in their job plan and is discussed and recorded at their annual appraisal in the UK or Ireland.https://thebms.org.uk/menopause-specialists/overview/My GP gave me the choice of 2 places for menopause advice both in private hospitals. It seems that there is 1 female gynaecologist at both (the same one) who runs womens health clinics and specialises in menopause and other womens health issues as well as gynae procedures, family planning etc.
Following Hurditys advice (thankyou) I have searched on the BMS site to see if she is a member and her name does not come up.
But on the info re consultants on the hospital website it states she is a member of the BMS! This is a bit a bit concerning. I have messaged the BMS for clarification of her status.
I'm not sure whether to chance seeing her or not. She runs regular womens health clinics and states expertise in menopause and other areas.
The only other choice for me would be to go back to the GP and ask referral to the NHS menopause clinic which is in the same city but not as easy to get to. Also I suspect they will have long waiting lists and may not take referrals from my area.
Another option would be to go private(rather not because of cost but there is someone advertising very close to where I live who is a BMS member).
Sorry for the long post but grateful for any advice/thoughts.
Mintea if you have been referred to this person by your doctor then they should be a member if their advice is to be the best possible. One would expect anyone who is happy to call themselves a specialist would want to have the BMS accreditation as you say (BSA?!!!).
If you google the name of the specialist and/or the establishments they practice from - their credentials should be on their websites or the hopsital's website.
NHS or private, I would want them to be accredited as I certainly would not spend money on a private consultation to see someone who was not BMS accredited.
Hurdity x