Ahead of World Menopause Day, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause (the APPG), chaired by leading parliamentary campaigner Carolyn Harris MP, has published its final report following a year-long inquiry into the subject.

The APPG is particularly concerned about the socio-economic divide emerging between women who are able to access the right treatment, and those who lose out in the postcode lottery and do not have the financial means to seek treatment elsewhere.

The Group makes 13 recommendations for Government, NHS and other bodies to initiate change including:

• Urgently scrap prescription costs for HRT in England, as is the case in all the devolved nations, (Note: all prescriptions are currently free in the devolved nations, not just those for HRT);
• Implement a health check for all women at 45 to help diagnose menopause at an earlier stage;
• Fund new research into the real benefits of HRT and the link between menopause and serious health conditions;
• Co-ordinate an employer-led campaign and improve guidance to drive up support for menopause in the workplace;
• Create a National Formulary for HRT and include menopause in the GP Quality and Outcomes Framework to improve menopause diagnosis and treatment;
• Provide updated menopause training for GPs and other healthcare professionals who did not receive it in the past, in addition to the forthcoming medical assessment for incoming doctors.

To read the full report click here.