Menopause advice to be added to free NHS health checks
- Healthwatch Wokingham
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
At the end of October, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced that for the first time, menopause advice and questions will be included in free NHS health checks, helping millions of women.
Routine NHS appointments will now help tackle one of the most overlooked women’s health issues — the menopause. This change will make sure that women going through perimenopause or menopause get clear information and support. It will also help more women spot the signs early and feel confident to ask for help when they need it.
New menopause questions will be added to the free NHS Health Check, which should be offered every five years to adults aged 40 to 74 by GPs. This update will benefit nearly 5 million women across England.
Professor Ranee Thakar, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President, said:
It is fantastic news that menopause conversations will now be included in routine NHS health checks for women over 40 years old. Everyone’s experience is different, but menopause can seriously impact a woman’s health, their enjoyment of life and their ability to work. Creating space for women to get information about menopause symptoms, support and treatments will break down barriers, reduce stigma, and help many women live more happily and healthily in middle age.
For this change to have maximum positive impact we’d like to see a real focus on ensuring women from diverse ethnic communities and socially deprived areas being supported to access health checks, and excellent menopause training for healthcare assistants providing health checks. Women’s health hubs are the ideal place to make this new support accessible, personal and impactful.
You can read the full press release on the DHSC website: Major NHS update brings menopause into routine health checks - GOV.UK
-------------
