Women in NSW will soon have access to free specialised care at health hubs dedicated to treating severe menopause symptoms including hot flushes, pain, bone density loss and incontinence.
Two menopause health hubs have already begun operating at The Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick and the Royal North Shore Hospital in North Sydney — with another at Campbelltown and a rural network branch in Hunter New England set to open in 2023.
The NSW government plans to open another twelve menopause-specific hubs by the end of next year.
The hubs are part of a $40.3 million commitment over the next four years — a plan which NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said was designed with the input of clinical experts and women who have experienced severe symptoms of menopause.
“These networked hubs and services will be staffed by doctors, allied health professionals and nurses who will support women across NSW by providing the most up-to-date, specialised care,” Kean announced earlier this week.
“For women who are experiencing severe symptoms or are going through menopause early, such as after cancer treatment, these services will provide much-needed support, advice and care during a very challenging time.”
To access the hubs, women will need to first go through their GP. Once there, women will be provided with holistic menopause care, including urinary incontinence management, weight management advice, exercise, and nutrition.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier Gabrielle Upton said the menopause hubs will give women the support they need during a challenging time in their lives.
“The NSW Government is providing substantial investment to support women going through severe menopause and it’s fantastic to see this hub open at the Royal Hospital for Women to support women in our local community,” Upton said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard agreed that the hubs will help women manage the longer-term risks linked to menopause, including osteoporosis, heart disease and high blood pressure.
“These services offer both in-person and virtual care to give women choice about how they receive care and manage their symptoms,” Hazzard said.
Earlier this year, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet committed $2 billion for women’s health, including domestic violence services, extra parental leave for public servants, menopause and fertility treatment.
Minister for Women and Regional Health Bronnie Taylor lamented that “many women suffer these symptoms in silence and do not seek the support and treatment they need”.
“We want to break down the social stigma around talking about menopause and encourage women to share their experiences,” Taylor said.
Taylor announced the launch of an awareness campaign alongside a Menopause Toolkit, which offers women information about perimenopause and menopause, as well as information about accessing services in NSW.
According to Australasian Menopause Society, roughly half of women going through menopause will experience severe symptoms, including hot flushes, headaches, brain fog, loss of word memory, body aches and pains and insomnia.
Around one in five women experiences severe or prolonged menopause symptoms.
In Victoria, Premier Dan Andrews has pledged $71 million towards women’s health if re-elected this weekend.
Last week, he announced $58 million would be invested to create twenty “comprehensive women’s health clinics” across Victoria, plus an additional Aboriginal-led clinic.
$5.3 million will be dedicated to establishing a Mobile Women’s Health Clinic for women living in remote parts of the state.
The clinics will offer support for women suffering from conditions including dysmenorrhoea (period pain), fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and managing the symptoms of menopause.
“For too long, too many women haven’t been listened to and their health issues have been ignored,” Andrews said in a statement.
“Some of the most common conditions experienced by women go undiagnosed and untreated – tragically, sometimes until it’s too late.”
Last month, a new mental health centre was launched in Melbourne, focusing on the unique aspects of mental illness that can occur over the course of a woman’s life.
HER Centre Australia – HER stands for Health, Education and Research – will undertake research, provide treatment and improve awareness of women’s mental health issues occurring at all ages.
Improving outcomes for women’s health is at the top of their priority since, unfortunately, women experience nearly twice as much depression as men, four times as much anxiety and 12 times the rate of eating disorders.
The Centre will cover a range of conditions affecting women such as menopause, menstrual cycle-related mood disorders, complex PTSD, eating disorders, family violence body dysmorphic disorder and postpartum depression.