Menopause questions will be included in NHS health checks for the first time, officials have announced, in a landmark step forward for women’s healthcare.
The update, which could benefit nearly five million women in England, will give those experiencing symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, joint pain and trouble sleeping ‘visibility and support’.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said women have been ‘suffering in silence for far too long’ and have had to ‘grit their teeth and get on with it’.
Routine appointments – which are offered to eligible adults aged 40-74 every five years – will now include dedicated questions about the menopause and raise awareness so more women recognise the signs.
The move marks a major victory for the Daily Mail, who have been calling for this change since 2022 as part of our ‘Fix the HRT crisis’ campaign.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said specific questions will be developed over the coming months with guidance from health experts.
It means the menopause – which usually takes place between the ages of 45 and 55 – will be brought into ‘the mainstream of healthcare conversations.’
Three quarters of women experience symptoms – from physical changes like joint pain, weight gain and hot flushes to cognitive effects such as memory issues and brain fog – which can last an average of seven years and significantly impact daily life. However, fewer than one in 10 feel they have enough information to deal with it.
Routine appointments – which are offered to eligible adults aged 40-74 every five years – will now include dedicated questions about the menopause and raise awareness so more women recognise the signs (file image)
Dr Louise Newson, pictured beside Mariella Frostrop, left, along with Carolyn Harris MP, Penny Lancaster and Davina McCall at a march campaigning for menopause awareness
Dr Sue Mann, National Clinical Director in Women’s Health for NHS England, said: ‘Far too often we still hear women say their concerns aren’t listened to or that they aren’t getting enough support for the debilitating symptoms that can come with the menopause, many of which can have a big impact on their lives and can be invisible to others.
‘We want to change that – no-one should have to put on a brave face or feel they are facing symptoms of menopause or perimenopause on their own.
‘By tailoring NHS Health Checks to include questions around menopause, we hope more women will get the support they need to manage their symptoms.’
Too often, women’s experiences of menopause have been minimised or misunderstood with symptoms sometimes mistaken for other conditions or attributed to stress or lifestyle factors.
‘Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven’t been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they’re experiencing,’ Mr Streeting said.
‘This oftens means they’re left to navigate menopause alone, with very little support – all because of an outdated health system that fails to acknowledge how serious it can be.
‘No one should have to grit their teeth and just get on with what can be debilitating symptoms or be told that it’s simply part of life.
‘This government is overhauling women’s healthcare and giving those experiencing menopause and perimenopause the visibility and support they have long been asking for.’
HRT prescriptions for menopausal women have soared over the past few years, with 11million items handed out to help deal with symptoms in 2022/23
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which replaces the hormones that are at low levels, is the main treatment for menopausal women.
The Daily Mail’s ‘Fix the HRT crisis’ campaign was launched several years ago when thousands of women were unable to access their medication in the midst of a supply crisis.
Our manifesto demanded urgent action to tackle the issue, and secured an early victory as pharmacists were given the go-ahead to prescribe alternatives to out-of-stock treatment.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency also made the decision to make a particular form of HRT available over the counter in a landmark UK first.
Alongside calls for greater access to treatments was a demand that women should be given information at their NHS health check to raise awareness of the menopause.
Mariella Forstrup, Menopause Employment Ambassador, described the update as a ‘major leap forward’ while Professor Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: ‘It is fantastic news that menopause conversations will now be included in routine NHS Health Checks for women over 40.’
In recent years, there has been an unprecedented increase in HRT prescriptions partly due to the ‘Davina effect’.
TV personality Davina McCall has released a series of documentaries about the menopause which, along with the efforts of campaigners, prompted an enormous increase in awareness.
Campaigner Katie Taylor, author of Midlife Matters and founder of The Latte Lounge menopause support group, said: ‘Today’s news makes me want to weep and jump with joy. It’s something we have been pushing for, for years.
‘It is a great victory for all of us grass roots campaigners, for all of the millions of women who have struggled in silence for too long, and for the Daily Mail’s menopause campaign.’
Janet Lindsay, chief executive at Wellbeing of Women, welcomed the plans but warned not all women have access to NHS health checks.
She said: ‘Despite growing awareness of menopause in recent years, stigma and shame around women’s health persist.
‘Too many still do not reach out for help — often because they don’t recognise what they’re experiencing as menopause or are unaware of the support available.
‘However, not all women access these health checks. Women and people from marginalised communities are less likely to know about or attend these appointments, and progress on menopause support cannot leave them behind.
‘Healthcare professionals must work with grassroots organisations embedded in these communities to ensure that those facing additional barriers receive the tailored care they need.’