Urgent action needed to ‘transform’ menopause care
Urgent government action is needed to ‘transform’ menopause care in England by offering more support closer to home and raising awareness of symptoms, leading pharmacy bodies have said.
A joint statement – developed by a number of healthcare organisations including the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), and the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) – has set out key recommendations for delivering more accessible, equitable, and personalised care for women experiencing symptoms of menopause.
It said: ‘We unite in calling for urgent government action to transform menopause care in England through enhanced education, information and signposting; more accessible care closer to home; and targeted efforts to tackle the inequalities that impact women’s experience and outcomes.’
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The recommendations include urging the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England to issue guidance on how pharmacies can support menopause care and commission new pathways as part of women’s health hub networks or neighbourhood models of care.
It also said the government and NHS England should work with the sector to raise public awareness of pharmacy’s offering and expertise in this area.
Amandeep Doll, director for England at the Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm), said: ‘Pharmacy teams are highly accessible and already support people experiencing menopause with advice, self-care and signposting to other services.
‘We endorsed this statement because improving access to clear information and joined-up care is essential, particularly for those facing inequalities.
‘With the right support, training and commissioning, community pharmacy can play a greater role in delivering timely, convenient menopause care closer to home.’
The health organisations welcomed the increased awareness of menopause in recent years but warned that ‘it has also led to a sea of misinformation’.
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They said that there remains ‘significant unmet need’, particularly in the form of clear, evidence-based and accessible information and guidance.
They called for the DHSC and NHS England to launch a public awareness campaign on menopause symptoms because menopause remains a ‘stigmatised and taboo topic’ – especially for women living in areas of high deprivation and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
NPA vice chair Sukhi Basra said: ‘Pharmacies are a fantastic resource for women at all stages of life.
‘Menopause can have highly distressing physical and cognitive effects, so we want the recommendations in this report to be implemented promptly, and with clear accountably for ongoing progress on healthcare equity.’
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In a recent University College London (UCL) survey, Black women reported being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and misunderstood in relation to their menopause care.
And most respondents also felt completely uninformed about menopause before the age of 40.
To improve menopause care, the health organisations recommended that
- DHSC and NHSE launch a public awareness campaign on menopause symptoms and opportunities to self-care;
- DHSC and NHSE engage with minoritised community champions to ensure materials are representative of the diverse range of menopause experiences;
- DHSC works with partners to ensure content within the NHS App on menopause covers holistic approaches, including signposting to Over the counter (OTC) products, resources and information;
- DHSC and NHSE issue guidance on how pharmacies can support menopause care and commission new pathways as part of the women’s health hub network and neighbourhood model of care;
- DHSC and NHSE work with the sector to raise public awareness of pharmacy’s offering and expertise in this area;
- DHSC publish guidelines and embed clinical navigation training within the neighbourhood health service model to ensure staff can confidently guide people to the appropriate form of care, whether self-care, pharmacy or clinical support;
- DHSC and NHSE ensure advice and guidance provided to healthcare professionals delivering the NHS Health Check is holistic and includes the role of self-care, wellness and pharmacy provision;
- Integrated Care Boards and women’s health hubs are required to report progress on implementing the upcoming equity framework in menopause care back to national women’s health leaders.
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