Menopause
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) level and (b) quality of support provided by (i) GPs and the (ii) wider medical profession to women experiencing (A) peri-menopausal and (B) menopausal symptoms.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service. Evidence from the women's health strategy call for evidence in 2021 identified difficulties accessing care due to lack of recognition of symptoms from both women and healthcare professionals, and reluctance of some healthcare professionals to prescribe hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms.
A range of information and resources are available to help primary care professionals to support women experiencing menopause symptoms. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has a holistic curriculum of training that all general practitioners (GPs) must cover before they are able to pass the examination to become a member of the RCGP and work independently as a GP. There is a specific section on women’s health, including menopause. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is also updating its guideline on menopause diagnosis and management.
The Department has also invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. These provide more specialist care for women in the community, and many of them also act as a point of training and support for their local GP community. Menopause care is a core service for pilot women’s health hubs.
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