Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott

Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott MA, BMBCh, MRCGP, DRCOG, DFFP, AFMCP is the Clinical Director and Lead Doctor at the Marion Gluck Clinic. The Marion Gluck Clinic is an international leader in bioidentical hormone balancing treatments and offers an integrative, personalised approach to both female and male health. The clinic collaborates with both the Marion Gluck Training Academy that trains practitioners in the use of bioidentical hormones and the Specialist Pharmacy which compounds high quality, individualised medications for our clients. We put compassion and integrity first, with the patient at the centre and working in partnership to restore physical and emotional balance.

Ghazala studied Medicine at Cambridge University and graduated with a Masters in Neuroscience, Medical Ethics and Law, completing her clinical studies and postgraduate training at Oxford University. She completed her specialist GP training scheme gaining membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) in 1995. Well qualified in women’s health, she also holds the DRCOG (Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) and DFFP (Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning). For over two decades, she was a senior GP in a large NHS partnership in West London and taught undergraduate medical students at Imperial and King’s. As a highly experienced clinician with a rigorous scientific background, she is passionate about the growing field of personalised medicine and is dedicating her career to functional medicine, integrative women’s health, and bioidentical hormone balancing.

Ghazala has always been drawn to a holistic approach to treating patients respecting the physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions that impact health and wellness. She furthered her training with the Marion Gluck Training Academy and the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) having done the AFMCP course in Seattle, USA and six advanced practice modules for full certification. Subsequently, she has gained substantial practical experience working at a leading functional medicine clinic in the UK.

The functional medicine model focuses on the root cause of illness and works on the principles of systems biology- the interconnection of all our bodily and organ systems. It respects the individuality and unique experience of each person and identifies the true cause of disease at a cellular level, which is often a combination of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. The ‘one size fits all’ protocol driven conventional medical system and the concept of a ‘pill for every ill’ is the antithesis of this and is not precise in determining cause, proactive and preventative. Functional medicine signals a new paradigm shift for the future of medicine and truly works in partnership with the patient. Detailed functional testing involves cutting edge technologies such as the Dutch test, comprehensive gut analysis and nutrigenomics.

“I am fascinated by the mind-body connection and have a specific interest in the impact of trauma on the nervous system and the effect on hormonal balance, particularly the adrenal glands. Adrenal dysregulation and abnormal patterns of the stress hormone cortisol drive many imbalances and can lead to disease. All our hormone systems are intricately linked and influenced by gut health and the microbiome, which is also the central axis for immunity, physical and mental wellbeing.”

Ghazala uses the functional approach to treat a range of hormonal conditions such as perimenopause, menopause, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders and male hormonal issues such as andropause. A personalised treatment plan is devised after extensive evaluation. Bioidentical hormones are prescribed as needed and treatment often involves nutritional therapy and other therapeutic interventions influenced by the wisdom of ancient healing systems such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and acupuncture.

“Trust, empathy, communication, and partnership are the cornerstones through which I hold space in the consultation. My deepest hope is to empower the patient to understand their own narrative to promote optimum health, balance, and healing with integrative and holistic solutions. I aim for a synergy with conventional medical science and use functional medicine as an important tool to achieve the best outcomes.”

Ghazala thrives on educating via a variety of platforms. She is the lead trainer for the Marion Gluck Training Academy and runs a two day course at the Royal Society of Medicine in the management of a wide range of hormone related conditions and the practical prescribing of bioidentical hormones. She also presents a thyroid masterclass covering all aspects of thyroid disease and personalised prescribing. She has lectured for ION (Institute of Optimal Nutrition), on the IFM advanced hormone module, and at the Integrative and Personalised Medicine Conference 2023. A recent offering was a functional approach to endometriosis for the Ultimate Hormones Conference 2023 run by Nutrition Collective. She has also contributed to several national publications on a wide range of health topics from hormones to gut health including the Independent and the Telegraph and was featured in Forbes regarding menopause policy in the workplace. She is on the clinical advisory board for the charity ‘Food for the Brain’ set up by Patrick Holford and will be presenting a national webinar on Women, Hormones and Mood in Spring 2024.

A resident of Twickenham, she enjoys the green spaces of Richmond Park and connecting with nature. She has travelled extensively and spent a sabbatical year in Singapore where she trained as a guide in one of the national museums indulging her love of culture and the Arts.

“Medicine is an art – the integrative approach combines science, wisdom, and creativity to find holistic solutions for health. This is the soul of medicine and enabling true healing is a privilege”.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Hormonal issues and integrative women’s health.

Thyroid disorders.

Men’s health and andropause.

Chronic digestive issues such as IBS, SIBO, reflux oesophagitis and food intolerances.

Integrative mental health including depression, anxiety, cognitive dysfunction and ‘brain fog’ looking for root causes.

Immune function and autoimmunity- supporting inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, and autoimmune conditions such as SLE, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s.

Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

Cardiometabolic health- supporting hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and cardiovascular health with the functional approach.