Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve support for women’s menopausal health, including (a) training for GPs and (b) training for prescribing nurses.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, including menopause, as we reform the National Health Service, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our health missions.

That is why menopause will be added to the NHS Health Checks from 2026 for eligible women aged 40 to 55 years old who attend. This will support up to five million eligible women across England to access high quality information on menopause, including advice on managing symptoms and where to seek support.

For new doctors starting their careers in the United Kingdom, the General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems. The content for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health, including menopause, and will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems.

Additionally, for general practitioners and other primary healthcare professionals, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health, including menopause, from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on menopause in November 2024. The guideline recommends more treatment choices for menopause symptoms, and prescribers are encouraged to use these guidelines as best practice when making decisions relating to menopause.