What a week! We are steaming ahead with our Menopause Revolution and I am so pleased to see the incredible response to the work. On Tuesday I met with Union representatives to discuss the work that is happening in workplaces and what still needs to be done to ensure that we support women to continue to work through the menopause. This is so important so that they can continue with the jobs that they love and need and so that we can keep the experience and expertise within our workplaces that these women bring. It was really interesting to hear about all the campaigns that are running and all the work that is being done to improve representation for women and particularly older women.
This week I was pleased to join Dr Louise Newson, a GP from the West Midlands on the Balance Menopause podcast to talk about the Menopause Revolution and how women can empower themselves to implement the change that we need to see. We need to talk to each other about the menopause, discuss symptoms, and work to support one another through the difficulties that come with experiencing the menopause in the workplace. Change will come, but we need to make it happen. Listen to the full podcast here.
I was happy to be able to join the panel on Politics Live this week to discuss the Menopause Revolution amongst other things. I shared my own experience of being misdiagnosed with depression. It can be incredibly difficult for people to talk about, but we must normalise these conversations and improve empathy within society if we are to tackle the problems around women’s health and the menopause. It was only through talking about my symptoms with other women that I discovered I was not depressed, but menopausal. There are far too many women who go through this and think that they’re losing their minds, that perhaps they are depressed, that they have early onset dementia. I have been overwhelmed by the response to this campaign and am grateful for the support and for the participation of so many in this debate. So many women have shared their experiences with me. It has also thrown up the issue of women being too embarrassed to talk to their doctors or the lack of training in medical schools on the menopause becoming apparent in the responses to women when they do seek medical help. This has to change and I hope this campaign is the start we need to introduce good training in medical schools and in the workplace so that women can all access the support that they need.
On Friday the Second Reading of my Menopause (Support and Services) Bill took place in Parliament. It was wonderful to see all the support from across the house for this campaign. Women’s health should not be a political issue, so it’s crucial we work together to provide better support for women’s health and wellbeing. Currently it costs women hundreds of pounds to access HRT every year, so it’s fantastic that the UK government has committed to cutting the cost . I was also really pleased to hear of the formation of a Menopause task force, with myself as Co-Chair. In the last few months we have made huge strides in changing people’s attitudes to the menopause, and I’m so proud of what we have achieved so far and what we are going to achieve. It was amazing to join my fellow menopause warriors in Parliament Square following the debate to celebrate our achievements so far. The menopause revolution is well underway and this is just the beginning!
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