Improving women’s experience of services and support through menopause in south east London

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Menopause is experienced by women in many different ways and women’s experience of services and support that is available also varies considerably.

Background

Issues that women’s experience with menopause and the health and care services and support available have been highlighted nationally through a publication of the NHS ‘Women’s Health Strategy for England’ (August 2022) and high profile media campaigns, led by Davina McCall and others. All these all calling for greater recognition of the impact Menopause has on people’s lives and also recommending improvements in the support and services that are available.

In south east London we are committed to improving Women’s journey through the menopause by aiming

  • working on reducing waiting times for menopause care
  • raising awareness, promoting and supporting self-management where appropriate
  • supporting local health care professional to improve how women are supported though their menopause journey.

We want to work with local people to listen to their experience to inform and contribute to improve support.

Through the Gynaecology Network we are working across the three hospital trusts in south east London (Guy’s & St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, Lewisham & Greenwich hospital trusts) and GP practices to improve services.

Listening to local people / our journey so far

Over last year we delivered a series of five online live learning events about menopause. Facilitated by key medical experts from south east London the sessions focussed on providing information and advice around menopause.

The key topics covered in these sessions were:

  • General menopause and hormone replacement treatment (HRT)
  • Menopause and nutrition
  • Menopause and pelvic floor health
  • Menopause and Sex – breaking the taboo

These sessions were very well attended and offered the opportunity to people attending to ask questions which were responded by the panel of experts’ clinicians.

All sessions were recorded, and work is underway to build a resource library which includes these recordings, alongside some of the frequently asked questions and answers from each of these sessions.

To follow up on insights and issues raised at the information sessions we organised five focus groups to explore more in-depth women’s experience on menopause care and listen to their recommendations. See the focus groups presentation here.

Key insights

  • difficulty accessing HRT medication
  • being overwhelmed with all the information available
  • frustrations around menopause being recognised early
  • accessing specific treatment (e.g. around bone health)
  • run more series of menopause information and questions and answers sessions
  • cover more topics - include additional areas within gynaecology to be included

We can read here a summary report.

Next steps

Building on the focus groups insights and recommendations we are planning to establish ‘Menopause advisory group’ and inviting women to join. We are proposing to have meetings once every three months, online on a weekday evening for 90 minutes.

The group will be facilitated by a women’s health clinician. The group administrative details will be discussed also with the members of the group at the first meeting to ensure that the sessions are accessible to as many of you.

The first ‘Menopause Advisory Group’ session is scheduled online for the Wednesday 5 February, 6 - 7:30pm.

If you are interested to be involved and help us improve the menopause care, please complete this short form and we will send you more details about the first sessions.

Please do contact us if you have any questions regarding the menopause resources available or if you have any questions about women’s advisory group at kch-tr.selgynaenetwork@nhs.net

Join us now and help shape future improvements in south east London menopause services.

Menopause is experienced by women in many different ways and women’s experience of services and support that is available also varies considerably.

Background

Issues that women’s experience with menopause and the health and care services and support available have been highlighted nationally through a publication of the NHS ‘Women’s Health Strategy for England’ (August 2022) and high profile media campaigns, led by Davina McCall and others. All these all calling for greater recognition of the impact Menopause has on people’s lives and also recommending improvements in the support and services that are available.

In south east London we are committed to improving Women’s journey through the menopause by aiming

  • working on reducing waiting times for menopause care
  • raising awareness, promoting and supporting self-management where appropriate
  • supporting local health care professional to improve how women are supported though their menopause journey.

We want to work with local people to listen to their experience to inform and contribute to improve support.

Through the Gynaecology Network we are working across the three hospital trusts in south east London (Guy’s & St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, Lewisham & Greenwich hospital trusts) and GP practices to improve services.

Listening to local people / our journey so far

Over last year we delivered a series of five online live learning events about menopause. Facilitated by key medical experts from south east London the sessions focussed on providing information and advice around menopause.

The key topics covered in these sessions were:

  • General menopause and hormone replacement treatment (HRT)
  • Menopause and nutrition
  • Menopause and pelvic floor health
  • Menopause and Sex – breaking the taboo

These sessions were very well attended and offered the opportunity to people attending to ask questions which were responded by the panel of experts’ clinicians.

All sessions were recorded, and work is underway to build a resource library which includes these recordings, alongside some of the frequently asked questions and answers from each of these sessions.

To follow up on insights and issues raised at the information sessions we organised five focus groups to explore more in-depth women’s experience on menopause care and listen to their recommendations. See the focus groups presentation here.

Key insights

  • difficulty accessing HRT medication
  • being overwhelmed with all the information available
  • frustrations around menopause being recognised early
  • accessing specific treatment (e.g. around bone health)
  • run more series of menopause information and questions and answers sessions
  • cover more topics - include additional areas within gynaecology to be included

We can read here a summary report.

Next steps

Building on the focus groups insights and recommendations we are planning to establish ‘Menopause advisory group’ and inviting women to join. We are proposing to have meetings once every three months, online on a weekday evening for 90 minutes.

The group will be facilitated by a women’s health clinician. The group administrative details will be discussed also with the members of the group at the first meeting to ensure that the sessions are accessible to as many of you.

The first ‘Menopause Advisory Group’ session is scheduled online for the Wednesday 5 February, 6 - 7:30pm.

If you are interested to be involved and help us improve the menopause care, please complete this short form and we will send you more details about the first sessions.

Please do contact us if you have any questions regarding the menopause resources available or if you have any questions about women’s advisory group at kch-tr.selgynaenetwork@nhs.net

Join us now and help shape future improvements in south east London menopause services.

  • Sign up to menopause advisory group session

    If you are interested to be involved and help us improve the menopause care, please complete this short form and we will send you more details about the next session. It takes two minutes to complete.

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Page last updated: 21 Jan 2025, 04:24 PM