Meet Dr Colinette

Dr Colinette joined the Minter et Al team in January 2024. She is an exceptionally experienced GP with both British Menopause Society (BMS) and Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) qualifications. She has a special interest in education and in gynaecology and women’s health, and is a trainer in many areas of medical education. Colinette tutors post graduate medical students at Southampton University, and is a Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) coordinator for gynaecology and primary care in her area.

Here we find out a bit more about what inspired her to pursue this field, as well as her top tips and advice.

Tell us a bit about your career background to date.

I qualified from Bristol University in the 1990s and worked in the South West initially and then in the Manchester region for Accident and Emergency training. I switched training pathways to general practice when I wanted to have a family, and I have worked as a GP since 2003 in the Midlands, around Hampshire and also in Australia.

When did you first know that you wanted to pursue a career in this field, and why? What was it that inspired you to specialise in women’s health?

Having moved to general practice for family reasons I was keen to maintain some practical skills and therefore did family planning training and worked for many years in contraceptive clinics. As part of this work I was always more likely to deal with menopause questions even though at the time menopause was less discussed than it is now. Through working with women and their contraceptive needs I became involved in more work relating to womens’ health for example termination care, vulval problems, sexual health as well as menopause care. I’ve continuously tried to upskill in these areas and when moving to different places to live have always looked for opportunities to work in gynaecology/family planning/sexual health/contraceptive roles.

What inspired you to join the Minter et Al team? What do you enjoy about working here?

I was inspired by Lexie and her wish to encourage women to look after their health and to prioritise themselves.

What area of your work are you most interested in and why?

There is nothing more satisfying than helping women who have had vulval problems.

What are some books and/or articles that you have read recently that you would recommend to our patients?

Recently, I have enjoyed the following two books:

The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism by Dr Jen Gunter

In The Menopause Manifesto Dr Gunter brings you empowerment through knowledge by countering stubborn myths and misunderstandings about menopause with hard facts, real science, fascinating historical perspective and expert advice.

Oestrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women’s Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives – Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer by Dr Avrum Bluming

A compelling defence of hormone replacement therapy, exposing the faulty science behind its fall from prominence and empowering readers to make informed decisions about their health.

What would some of your top advice be to our patients for looking after their hormone health?

Think about future proofing your body. You want to live your current life in a healthy, fun and enjoyable way so that you can still enjoy life and have fun in your 80 year old body.

What would your top tips be for looking after your vaginal health?

Choose carefully what you wash with. Your vulval skin is as important as the skin on your face.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love spending time with my family, going hiking, swimming, travelling. I also love reading and listening to audio books.

As well as women’s health and hormone health consultations, Dr Colinette can also advise on possible treatment options for patients with a past history of cancer or who may have been told they have contraindications to HRT. To book a consultation with Dr Colinette, please visit her clinic page.