Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing levels of access to hormone replacement therapy treatment on the NHS.

While menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life course, we recognise that menopause symptoms can be wide-ranging and debilitating, affecting a woman’s physical and mental health.

Women should not have to suffer in silence and any woman concerned about menopause symptoms should seek advice from their general practitioner or other healthcare professional. It is important that women are provided with accurate information and are able to make informed choices about their care, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

HRT is the main treatment for menopause symptoms, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that for most women it is safe and effective. In November 2024, NICE published their updated guideline which recommends more treatment choices for menopause symptoms. NICE guidelines are not mandatory, but healthcare professionals are expected to take NICE guidance fully into account in their prescribing decisions.