Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, Nickie Aiken has welcomed the government’s launch of a call of evidence to help for the basis of a new women’s health strategy in the House of Commons.
Speaking on its launch day in the House, Nickie asked the following question about the consultation to the Minister responsible for it Nadine Dorries MP.
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank my honourable friend for her statement and welcome the launch today, on International Women's Day, of the government's call for evidence for help form the basis of a new women's health strategy.
Given that an estimated 13 million women are currently peri or menopausal in the UK, including this woman, which equates to one-third of the entire UK female population.
Will my honourable friend assure me that menopause services will be at the heart of the strategy?
And will she agree to meet me and a group of women experiencing the menopause to discuss how we can ensure women are properly supported and do not have to deal with this major, life-changing experience on their own?
The Minister responded:
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I answer this question as a post-menopausal woman.
The online survey within the call for evidence seeks information on the menopause. It explored the menopause across various themes including listening to women's voices, accessing, access to information, the women's health across the life course, and women's health in the workplace.
And I encourage stakeholders and women with experience of this area to respond to the call so that we can identify future work.
Women often face damaging taboos when starting a conversation about their health.
I think it's really important that we start smashing those taboos here. And, we have been doing this for a number of years now.
That we talk about the menopause openly.
And, women can often face unsympathetic and stigmatised responses when speaking about the menopause, particularly in the workplace, which is clearly unacceptable.
And, this government is committed to breaking down those taboos to support women and working women at all stages of their life. And enabling them to reach their potential.
And this includes, of course, having more open conversations around the menopause, whether that be with healthcare professionals or employers, and assisting women through that stage in their life so that they can remain full, active contributors during that stage of their life, in their chosen careers or workplaces.
I urge my honourable friend to click on the link, to get involved, to make sure that women she knows does the same.
Thank you.
You can watch Nickie raising her question above.
You can find out more information about the consultation, including how to make a submission here.
