A NEW HRT scheme to cut prescription costs to under £20 a year is underway.

HRT is a safe and effective treatment for most women going through menopause and perimenopause.

It can help relieve menopause and perimenopause symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness.

Taking HRT can also reduce the risk of hormone-related health problems including osteoporosis and heart disease.

The NHS England National Menopause Care Improvement Programme is working to improve clinical menopause care in England and reduce disparities in access to treatment.

The NHS is also developing an education and training package on menopause for healthcare professionals.   

The introduction of the HRT PPC delivers one of the government’s year-1 priorities for the Women’s Health Strategy for England.

Published last summer, the strategy sets out an ambitious new agenda for improving the health and wellbeing of women and girls and to improve how the health and care system listens to women.

To ensure all women get the support they need, DHSC recently announced a £25 million investment in women’s health hubs.

Women’s health hubs provide integrated services for women in the community, enabling easier access to essential women’s health services such as menstrual health, contraception, pelvic pain and menopause care.

Simon Fell, the Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness, has been a long-standing campaigner across the government who has been calling for the introduction of the scheme since being elected in 2019.

Mr Fell said: “This is a really welcome announcement. Cost should never be a barrier to better health and wellbeing.

“I’ve listened to a great deal many women from all across Furness who’ve been lobbying for this sort of scheme for a long time. I’ve taken their cause to Parliament and across government and working together we’ve played our part in bringing this most welcome new policy into effect.”

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Women’s Health Ambassador for England, said: “A lot of women don’t realise they’re going through the menopause.

“So even making people aware that's what they're going through is really important. And then the next step is making them aware that HRT may be an option for them.

“Making HRT more accessible for women is crucial in improving their daily lives and enabling them to reach their full potential.”

Minister for Women’s Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said: "Since we launched the Women's Health Strategy last summer, we have made great progress in raising the profile of health issues affecting women, including symptoms of the menopause.  

“Often its necessary to use more than one type of HRT, and many women I have spoken to needed to try a few different types to get the right medication that works for them.  

“Everyone is different, and price should not be a barrier to treatment – reducing the price of a year’s worth of HRT to under £20 is a huge moment of levelling the playing field.”