Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
555. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of menopause services, specifically the number of clinics available through the public health service; the contact details for each menopause clinic; the waiting times for a first appointment at a menopause clinic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51850/23]
View answerThere is a total of six specialist menopause clinics nationwide, one in each maternity network, for women who require complex, specialist care.
The first of the dedicated specialist menopause clinics opened in the National Maternity Hospital in December 2021. Five additional specialist clinics have since opened, based in the Rotunda, the Coombe, Cork University Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Galway, and Nenagh General Hospital (under the governance of University Maternity Hospital Limerick).
As the remaining part of the question is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
