Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional differences in waiting times for access to NHS specialist menopause services.

The Department does not hold data on waiting times for this specialist service, and has therefore not made an official assessment of the regional differences.

Most women can have their menopause treatment and support well-managed within primary care. The menopause is a core competency of all qualified general practitioners, as there is a specific section in the curricula on women's health, including the menopause.

However, some women may need to see a specialist.  It is not within the remit of central government to commission specialist health services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services that meet the health needs of their local population.

Our £25 million investment over the next two years to accelerate the development of women’s health hubs will improve access and quality of care for services including menopause care.