Government announces routine menopause health checks and renewed Women's Health Strategy

Photo by Bryan Natanael on Unsplash

The Government has announced a major NHS update which will see menopause questions incorporated into routine health checks for the first time nationally.

Hailed ‘a landmark step forward in women’s healthcare’, the new initiative will open up discussion around perimenopause and menopause, helping to ensure that women who are experiencing symptoms can access much-needed information and support.

Despite menopause affecting 75% of women, the condition has long been stigmatised, and sometimes trivialised. Research also shows that menopause education is pretty abysmal. A UCL study found that more than 90% of postmenopausal women were never taught about the menopause at school, with more than 60% only starting to look for information about it once their symptoms had started. 

What are routine health checks?

The NHS Health Check is a free assessment offered to adults aged 40 to 74 which occur every five years. It aims to identify health risks like cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia. 

It’s thought that the addition of dedicated menopause questions will benefit nearly five million women.

What happens to women during menopause?

The menopause causes women to lose their ovarian follicular function, meaning that the ovaries can no longer release eggs for fertilisation. It marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, after which time she can no longer get pregnant. Women typically experience menopause between ages 45 and 55, however, perimenopause (when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped) symptoms can start earlier than this.

During the process, the production of progesterone and estrogen declines — the latter is responsible for most menopausal symptoms. As per NHS guidance, these can include:

• hot flushes (sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy)

• difficulty sleeping (which may be a result of night sweats)

• heart palpitations

• headaches and migraines 

• muscle aches and joint pains

• changed body shape and weight gain

• dry and itchy skin

• reduced sex drive

• vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex

• recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems

Speaking about the introduction of routine menopause health checks, Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said:

“Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven’t been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they’re experiencing.

“This often 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.”

Women's Health Strategy to be renewed

The Government has also announced that the Women’s Health Strategy has been renewed to ‘tackle inequalities and improve access to healthcare for women across England’.

Initially launched in 2022, the renewed strategy will outline the government’s steps to improve women’s healthcare as part of its 10 Year Health Plan. Opinions from women who contributed to the 10 Year Health Plan will inform the Women’s Health Strategy which will be published in 2026.

In the meantime, you can read the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy here.