Academics launch UK’s first menopause education programme

Experts at UCL have teamed up with leading women’s health charities to design the UK’s first education and support programme for women experiencing menopause.

Inspired by courses for mothers-to-be before birth, the National Menopause Education and Support Programme will consist of a course delivered by trained healthcare professionals, where women will be given independent, up-to-date and evidence-based menopause education.

The programme will be led by Professor Joyce Harper, UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health, Dr Shema Tariq, UCL Institute for Global Health and Dr Nicky Keay, UCL Division of Medicine in partnership with two charities, Wellbeing of Women and Sophia Forum.

An important element of the initiative will be building connections with other women going through similar experiences, to develop local networks of support.

Recent research by Professor Harper has shown that more than 90 per cent of women were never educated about the menopause at school, with more than 60 per cent starting looking for information once they began to experience symptoms.

The new programme is hoped to allow women reaching menopausal age to gain a greater understanding of the symptoms and changes they are going through.

“Research has shown that women are currently poorly educated about the menopause and often go into it not understanding what to expect,” explained Professor Harper.

“Some menopausal symptoms can cause psychological issues and women may mistake their symptoms for mental health issues or other concerning causes, and this can have a negative effect on their wellbeing.

“We want to ensure that all women get the information they need to manage the changes they experience in this part of their life, in the best way possible.”

Dr Tariq added: “An important component of this programme will be peer support.

“Research consistently shows that support from people experiencing similar things to yourself (for instance pregnancy, mental health issues and other health conditions) improves understanding of health conditions or experiences, empowers people to manage their conditions or life experiences, and improves the ability to cope.”

Professor Geraint Rees, UCL vice-provost (research, innovation and global engagement), said the National Menopause Education and Support Programme has the potential to positively impact the lives of women across the country.

“This project is a wonderful example of how UCL’s knowledge exchange funding and support can help multidisciplinary teams target global issues. I extend my congratulations to the team and wish them every success for the future,” he added.

Janet Lindsay, CEO of the charity Wellbeing of Women, said: “We’re thrilled to be part of this exciting new project to improve menopause education, and we welcome the research approach of co-designing with the voices of women affected.

“Every woman deserves access to high-quality information and menopause support, yet as research from Professor Harper shows, too many women haven’t been given the knowledge they desperately need and deserve.

“We hope this work will empower a generation of women to understand the changes to their bodies during menopause and access help to manage their symptoms.”

The National Menopause Education and Support Programme has been inspired by those offered by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) during pregnancy.

Work to develop the programme will start at UCL in September, with the team hoping to work with companies to offer the course to employees.

Alongside Professor Harper, Dr Tariq and Dr Keay, those currently on the advisory board include menopause campaigner and columnist Alice Smellie, founder and host of the Menopause Whilst Black podcast Karen Arthur, and certified menopause specialist Vikram Talaulikar, Honorary Professor at UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health and Reproductive Medicine Unit.