Who sees a genetic counsellor, and how are they referred?

Wellcome Connecting Science | Graphic | Empowering People: Genetic Counselling in Focus

In the UK genetic counselling is a service provided within the NHS for people who have, or have a potentially increased risk of, an inherited genetic condition. These could be, for example, cancers or conditions with known genetic causes such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease. A patient is referred to a genetic counselling service by other healthcare professionals, such as a GP.

People may see a genetic counsellor for many reasons: to explore their risk of having or developing a condition, to make sense of the results of a genetic test, or to discuss the possibility of taking a test, and to understand the possibility of passing on a genetic alteration to their children.