Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
753. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the Womens' Health Taskforce recommendations specifically in relation to menopause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32059/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I recognise that menopause is a key health issue for women in Ireland today. In 2019, the Women's Health Taskforce was established to improve women's health outcomes and experiences in Ireland.
The Taskforce has listened to, engaged with and worked with more than 2,000 individuals and organisations representing women across the country. Awareness of menopause and its symptoms has been emphasised through the nationwide “Radical Listening” exercise carried out by the Women’s Health Taskforce. This exercise enabled women across the country to share their views and experiences of the health sector and health services.
On the 8th of March 2022, International Women’s Day, I launched the Women's Health Action Plan 2022-2023. This Action Plan is the first of its kind in Ireland and marks a significant milestone in our efforts to improve women's health. The plan was informed by the work of the Women’s Health Taskforce and commits to grow the available supports, services and expertise available to women before, during and after menopause.
Budget 2022 provided unprecedented funding for measures related to Women's Health. This includes €5.3 million to grow access to “see and treat” gynaecology clinics (to 20 nationally); specialist menopause clinics (to 4 nationally); and specialist endometriosis services (to 2 nationally).
The first of the dedicated specialist menopause clinics opened in the National Maternity Hospital last December 2021.
The Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-23 committed to developing 3 further specialist menopause clinics nationally in Limerick, Cork and Galway. These three clinics will be developed as part of the maternity networks in the South-South West, University of Limerick, and Saolta Hospital Groups.
The Women’s Health Fund (€10 million) was established as part of the Women’s Health Action Plan to fund new initiatives and investments in 2022. The purpose of the Women's Health Fund is to allow the Department to listen to women and be responsive to the issues they raise in-year.
In April 2022, I accelerated the delivery of menopause clinics with a further ring-fenced investment of €2.5 million via the Women’s Health Fund. This funding will support two additional specialist menopause clinics, at the Coombe and the Rotunda, delivering a total of 6 such clinics nationwide, one in each maternity network, for women who require complex, specialist care.
The specialist menopause clinic within the University of Limerick Hospital Group is located in Nenagh General Hospital and the HSE has advised that this clinic opened in May of this year.
The majority of women who seek support for their menopause can be effectively supported within primary care by their GP. Clinical teams within the specialist menopause clinic setting will also provide advice and guidance to GPs in the community to support the effective management of menopausal symptoms for women closer to home within primary care.
The first-of-its-kind ICGP post of Clinical Lead for Women’s Health in General Practice has been established. In March 2022, Dr Ciara McCarthy took up post as the Women's Health Clinical Lead. Her role will enable the development of a comprehensive life-course approach to women’s health in general practice, where the vast majority of advice and services for women at all stages in their health journey is available. Along with the appointment of Dr McCarthy, the ICGP, through HSE funding, developed and successfully delivered a new comprehensive Certificate Course in Community Gynaecology for GPs, which included a menopause-specific module, providing GPs with up-to-date, evidence-based training in the area of gynaecology in general practice. 670 GPs registered to attend at least one module on the course, with 170 attending the full programme.
In 2021, the Women’s Health Fund financed the GP Quick Reference Guide on Menopause. The guide will be disseminated through an article in the ICGP Forum journal. It will also be advertised in the ICGP e-zine to members, through Twitter, the front page of the ICGP website and through a webinar.
The Civil Service Employee Assistance Service is commencing a wider Civil Service engagement network which will support the development of Menopause in the Workplace policies and practices in departments. Officials from the Department of Health, representing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group and our Strategic HR Unit, will participate in this new CSEAS Network. The CSEAS is committed to sharing information with the members of this network, such as best practice, policy information from other jurisdictions and others’ experiences in development of such a policy, to assist Department’s in developing a workplace menopause policy.
The Women’s Health Taskforce and I are committed to changing the approach to menopause care to increase the public supports available to women before, during and after menopause.
