Around 400,000 women across England will benefit from better
access to menopause support – helping them save hundreds of
pounds in prescription charges and making treatment more
accessible.
From 1 April, women prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy – the
main treatment for menopause symptoms – will have access to a new
scheme enabling access to a year’s worth of menopause
prescription items for the cost of two single prescription
charges (currently £18.70).
As part of commitments to reduce the cost of HRT for menopausal
women, the prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) will be
valid for 12 months. It can be used against a list of HRT
prescription items, and apatient can use this against an
unlimited number of HRT items, such as patches, tablets and
topical preparations. There will be no limit to how many times
the certificate can be used while it is valid.
Reducing the cost of HRT is just one of the steps being taken by
the government to improve access to HRT, alongside continuing
work with suppliers to encourage and support them to boost supply
to meet growing demand.
The introduction of the certificate delivers one of our year one
priorities for the Women’s Health Strategy
for England. Published last summer, the strategy sets out an
ambitious new agenda for improving the health and wellbeing of
women and girls and to improve how the health and care system
listens to women. Menopause was announced as a priority area
within the strategy.
Minister for Women Maria Caufield said:
“Around three quarters of women will experience menopause
symptoms, with a quarter experiencing severe symptoms – which can
seriously impact their quality of life.
“Reducing the cost of HRT is a huge moment for improving women’s
health in this country, and I am proud to be announcing this
momentous step forward.
“In our Women’s Health Strategy, we made menopause a top priority
– by making HRT more accessible, we’re delivering on our
commitment to women.”
Women’s Health Ambassador, Dame
Lesley Regan, said:
“The menopause is an inevitable stage in a woman’s life course.
As a gynaecologist, I’ve witnessed first-hand the symptoms that
women experience which can have debilitating impacts on their
daily lives.
“Making HRT more affordable will have a hugely beneficial impact
on the lives of so many women. This pre-payment certificate is a
major step forward in prioritising the health and wellbeing of
women.”
Currently, around 15% of women aged 45-64 in England are
currently prescribed HRT, which has increased rapidly in the last
two years from around 11% and continues to increase.
The government has accepted the recommendations of the HRT
Taskforce, including encouraging and supporting manufacturers to
boost supply to meet growing demand and continuing to issue
Serious Shortages Protocols (SSPs) when needed to even out
distribution. This involved allowing alternative products to be
dispensed when necessary, and reducing the need for the patient
to return to their GP.
The department engages with suppliers on a weekly basis and
closely monitors the supply of HRT and regularly meeting with
individual suppliers, including hosting quarterly roundtables
with industry to ensure a continuous supply of HRT.
Women will need to apply for the PPC, through the NHS Business
Service Authority or in person at a pharmacy registered to sell
PPCs. Once it has been granted it will be available for use
immediately on or after 1 April. When collecting
HRT products, patients will be able to simply show the digital or
paper copy HRT PPC to the pharmacist and complete the exemption
declaration on the NHS prescription form.
Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“We know that cost can be one of the barriers that women face in
accessing treatment to manage their symptoms during menopause,
and the introduction of HRT pre-payment certificates is a
positive step to improve access to HRT. This announcement is an
important first step, and we hope that more will be done to
address the challenges and inequalities faced in accessing
menopause care and treatment.”
Dr Janet Barter, President of the Faculty of Sexual &
Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), said:
“We welcome the introduction of HRT pre-payment certificates by
the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC), this is a big
step towards improving women’s access to menopause treatment in
England and reducing inequalities in access to this essential
healthcare. Improved access to HRT will improve the lives of
millions of women, allowing them to easily take control of their
own menopause.”
Janet Lindsay, CEO of Wellbeing of Women, said:
“HRT is a first line treatment for women who may need help with
managing menopause symptoms which can be debilitating. Improving
access to HRT, by reducing the prescription costs, is absolutely
the right thing to do and will help to empower women during this
life stage.”
Notes to editors
- The HRT PPC is in addition to the existing help with
prescription charges, including the 3 and 12-month PPCs. More
information is available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc and
details about the NHS Low Income Scheme can be found at
www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HC1.
- For people who need multiple medicines, the existing PPCs may
remain a more cost effective method of paying for prescriptions
