NHS to include menopause in health checks from 2025 – what it means for women

In what campaigners call a “historic breakthrough”, NHS England will, for the first time, include questions about menopause during routine health checks for adults aged 40 to 74 years. This change is set to benefit millions Of womenAfter years of public pressure and advocacy from high-profile figures, the health system was accused of failing women during one of the most crucial stages of their lives.

Health Minister Wes Streeting Express And that too many women were dismissed, ignored, or told that their symptoms were just part of getting older. He added:

“Women have suffered in silence for too long. This is the clearest sign yet that their voices are being heard.

For many, this policy is the culmination of a grassroots movement led by prominent advocates like Davina McCall, who… words It revealed the confusion and frustration that many women experience. She revealed:

“I was angry at the lack of knowledge I had as a 43-year-old woman going through menopause” and said she felt “terrified, alone and not knowing what it was like.”

Her candid testimony became part of a wave of public awareness and demand that the health service recognize menopause as a vital health priority.

She said, thinking about why the symptoms were not recognized sooner interview:

“I had no idea. I thought, how, why? Why don’t I know about this?”

Her testimony resonated widely, helping women across the UK to identify their symptoms and calling for systemic change in how menopause is dealt with within the NHS.

Menopause specialist Dr. Louise Newsonwho founded the Balance Menopause app and has long argued that menopause should be part of preventative health care:

“I didn’t realize until I opened my clinic…how many women are really struggling and how many women are giving up their jobs, having partners leave them, having a crisis, feeling really worried about their future health, and actually having quite intrusive suicidal thoughts as a direct result of their hormones.”

The pressures for reform were relentless. Labor MP Caroline Harris, who chaired the UK’s all-party parliamentary group on menopause, was instrumental in bringing the political spotlight to the issue. she He told MPs last year:

“This menopause revolution will put an end to women’s suffering.”

Menopause Advocacy, which represents thousands of women, said the NHS decision demonstrated the power of public protest. Official spokesman Comment:

“Including menopause as a key part of the NHS 40+ health check is a huge leap forward – for women and business people.”

The NHS Health Check currently screens for heart disease, diabetes and stroke risk – all conditions that menopause can worsen. Symptoms such as hot flashes, heart palpitations, joint pain, sleep disturbance, and anxiety affect about 75% of women, and 25% of them report severe symptoms.

However, to date, menopause has not been included in any NHS screening programme, leaving many women to struggle with years of untreated symptoms or misdiagnosis.

Professor Rani Thakkar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, He said: “It’s great news that Menopause Talks will now be included in routine NHS health checks for women over 40… Creating a space for women to get information about menopause symptoms, support and treatments will break down barriers, reduce stigma, and help many more women live happier, healthier lives into midlife.”

Beyond the clinical implications, the move is seen as a symbolic shift toward dismantling what activists have called “medical misogyny.” This decision represents a profound change in how the state views middle-aged women: not as invisible patients, but as individuals whose health is central to the well-being of society.

As stated by Representative Carolyn Harris during the parliamentary debate that presented the bill Menopause (Supports and Services) Bill,

“It’s not just about women, it’s about families, communities, the economy and society as a whole.”

Originally published on IB Times UK