Millions of women across England will benefit from the menopause being included in routine NHS health checks for the first time – marking a landmark step forward in women’s healthcare.
Routine appointments will now tackle one of society’s most overlooked health challenges, ensuring women experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms get the right information and support, while also raising awareness earlier so more women recognise the signs and seek help sooner if needed.
The addition of dedicated questions to the NHS Health Check about the menopause – free assessments offered to eligible adults aged 40 to 74 every 5 years – will benefit nearly 5 million women.
Too often, women’s experiences of menopause have been minimised or misunderstood, with symptoms sometimes mistaken for other conditions or attributed to stress or lifestyle factors. This announcement will help bring menopause into the mainstream of healthcare conversations – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by building an NHS fit for the future.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven’t been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they’re experiencing.
“This often means they’re left to navigate menopause alone, with very little support – all because of an outdated health system that fails to acknowledge how serious it can be.
“No one should have to grit their teeth and just get on with what can be debilitating symptoms or be told that it’s simply part of life.
“This government is overhauling women’s healthcare and giving those experiencing menopause and perimenopause the visibility and support they have long been asking for.”
The NHS Health Check is aimed at identifying people with health risks including cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia.
Making menopause a part of these health checks, and raising awareness of symptoms will give women the confidence to seek help. Women reporting symptoms will be directed to services, information and treatment options to provide relief.
The move marks a crucial shift in women’s healthcare, as it empowers clinicians to proactively address concerns that often go unrecognised, ensuring women feel heard and supported during what can be a challenging transition.
Questions in the health checks will be developed over the coming months with health experts feeding in.
Menopause affects all women differently, with most experiencing the transition between ages 45 and 55, though symptoms can begin earlier during perimenopause.
Three-quarters of women experience symptoms – from physical changes like joint pain, weight gain and hot flushes to cognitive effects such as memory issues and brain fog – which can last an average of 7 years and significantly impact daily life. Yet fewer than 1 in 10 feel they have enough information to deal with it.
Laura Biggs, Menopause Mandate Founding Director, said:
“We’re absolutely delighted that our 2-year campaign has culminated in the Health Secretary’s historic decision to include menopause information in the NHS 40+ health check. It’s a move we at Menopause Mandate have been tirelessly campaigning for, and we’re grateful to the government for listening to women and taking action.
“Our 2025 Mega Menopause Survey of over 15,000 women revealed that only 14% learned about menopause from a healthcare professional – yet 99% wanted menopause included in their health checks.
“This practical and preventative step will transform the experience of millions of women entering their peri- and menopausal years, helping them make informed choices about symptoms and treatment, while saving the NHS significant unnecessary costs.
“It marks another major victory for Menopause Mandate – founded just 3 years ago – following the introduction of the HRT prepayment certificate, and represents a huge step towards bringing menopause out of the shadows and into the mainstream of women’s healthcare.”
The government has made significant strides in women’s health since taking office, including:
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gynaecology waiting lists beginning to fall for the first time in years, with the government investing additional funding to tackle the backlog of cases
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they have set out how they will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan for England, and emergency hormonal contraception is now available free of charge on the NHS at pharmacies
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the government has also introduced Jess’s Rule, which ensures GPs in England ‘think again’ if they see a patient 3 times and cannot identify a diagnosis, or find symptoms are getting worse
Overhauling women’s healthcare is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change to build an NHS fit for the future, ensuring healthcare services are personalised and preventative.
