Senate Inquiry into Perimenopause and Menopause: Key Findings
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It felt a bit like Federal Budget night last night as women around Australia sat waiting for the findings of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee on Perimenopause and Menopause to be released.
There were winners and losers, mixed feelings, and in some cases outright anger at the findings of the Inquiry. Most people got a mention across one of five broad areas for change.
Here is an overview of those broad areas, including specific issues within each and related recommendations.
Research and Data Collection
The Senate Inquiry resulted in 25 key recommendations
The report acknowledged that there is insufficient research into women’s health. Recent publicity has more specifically highlighted the fact that we lack data on women’s experiences of health conditions, how some conditions are amplified in women, and health issues that are unique to women.
Lack of data is seen as one of the greatest hindrances to understanding the impacts of menopause on women, their lives, and their livelihoods. The Senate Inquiry therefore recommends increased funding for research into menopause is essential to understand its impacts better and develop effective interventions.
To that end, we need to establish a comprehensive evidence base about menopause impacts (Recommendation 1) and monitor MHT outcomes (Recommendation 23).
We also need a National Menopause Action Plan based on best practices in menopause care (Recommendation 24), and to monitor and adopt best practices to ensure Australia is at the forefront of perimenopause and menopause care Recommendations 22 and 25).
Awareness and Education
There is a pervasive stigma surrounding menopause, leading to a lack of public discussion and awareness. Many women feel isolated and unsupported due to societal taboos. Lack of awareness of menopause and its symptoms can prevent women from seeking treatments.
High-quality education for all is an essential part of the solution and can be delivered through a national awareness campaign and resources (Recommendation 2).
Menopause should also be referenced in Health & Physical Education (Recommendation 3).
We need to break the stigmas, boost awareness, better-define the impacts, and improve accessibility of quality care.
Economic Impact and Workplace Support
The Inquiry found that menopausal symptoms significantly affect women's work life, leading to decreased productivity, job satisfaction, and even early retirement. Many women face discrimination or lack of understanding from employers regarding their condition.
The economic impact of menopause can be profound, affecting women's workforce participation and financial security. The inquiry noted that many women incur additional healthcare costs related to menopause management.
We need comprehensive research to assess the economic impacts of menopause on workforce participation, income, superannuation, and retirement age (Recommendation 4).
Workplaces play a significant role and should adopt menopause workplace policies in consultation with their employees (Recommendation 7) that support employees experiencing menopause, including flexible working conditions and access to health resources, possibly as part of the Fair Work Act (Recommendation 6).
Based on the outcomes of international sexual and reproductive leave, paid gender-inclusive reproductive leave may be included within the National Employment Standards and modern awards (Recommendation 8).
External agencies play a role in navigating workplace provisions. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency could collect data on how employers are supporting menopausal women (Recommendation 5).
Healthcare Professional Training and Practice
There are significant gaps in medical education that urgently need to be addressed, for both new and existing medical staff.
There is currently a notable lack of training for healthcare professionals regarding menopause, resulting in insufficient support for patients. Enhanced educational programs for GPs, specialists and healthcare professionals is recommended.
This requires a substantial effort to include perimenopause and menopause education in:
Graduate Outcome Statements of medical programs (Recommendation 9),
Medical university curriculums (Recommendation 10),
Professional development for physicians in the public health system (Recommendation 11) and financial incentives for this (Recommendation 12).
There is a need to increase the reach of specialist care geographically, and in terms of linkages to managing mental health during menopause:
An expanded scope of practice for nurse practitioners in rural and regional areas (Recommendation 13)
An Australasian Menopause Society review of guidance for medical practitioners on treating and managing mental health symptoms (Recommendation 20).
In addition, a review of existing and new Medicare Benefits Schedule item numbers for menopause consultations is recommended to increase access to primary care (Recommendations 14 & 15).
Treatment Access and Quality of Life
There are substantial barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare for menopause-related symptoms. Many women reported difficulties in obtaining effective treatments, with some feeling dismissed by healthcare providers. One study states that up to 85% of symptomatic Australian women are not receiving effective, approved menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or non‐hormonal interventions.
Women in rural areas face greater challenges in accessing menopause-related healthcare due to a shortage of specialists and resources. This exacerbates existing health inequalities.
We need to implement or leverage existing women's health facilities with multidisciplinary care to support women during the menopause transition (Recommendation 21).
In addition, the lived experience submissions highlighted that some women experience severe mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, often linked to menopausal symptoms. There is a need for better mental health support tailored to this demographic.
There is a need to address shortages of menopause hormonal therapy (MHT) and secure sufficient supply (Recommendation 16), to ensure it is affordable and accessible (Recommendation 18) and evaluate the quality of life health impacts of different types of MHT (Recommendation 19).
A full range of treatment options should be provided to women at this stage of life. It is essential that the advertising of alternative medicines and treatments is monitored, and labelling of TGA-approved medicines may need review (Recommendation 17).
Summary
These findings underscore the urgent need for systemic changes in how menopause is perceived and managed within healthcare systems and workplaces across Australia. It’s clear that everyone plays a role in effecting these changes.
You can download the List of Recommendations here - from the Parliament of Australia website.
References
Australian Parliament House, 2024. Issues related to menopause and perimenopause. [online] Available at: <https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Menopause> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
Australian Greens, 2024. Senate Menopause Inquiry Submission Guide. [online] Available at: <https://greens.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/Senate%20Menopause%20Inquiry_Submission%20Guide%20%284%29.pdf> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
Australian Medical Association, 2024. AMA submission to Senate inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause. [online] Available at: <https://www.ama.com.au/articles/ama-submission-senate-inquiry-issues-related-menopause-and-perimenopause> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
ABC News, 2024. Senate menopause inquiry receives hundreds of submissions. [online] Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-16/senate-menopause-inquiry-receives-hundreds-of-submissions/104326852> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2024. Senate menopause inquiry called. [online] Available at: <https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/senate-menopause-inquiry-called> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
Women's Health in the South East, 2024. WHISE Submission into Perimenopause and Menopause. [online] Available at: <https://whise.org.au/assets/docs/whise_info/WHISE-Submission-into-Perimenopause-and-Menopause-2024_updated.pdf> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
Sphere Community Resource Centre, 2024. Senate inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause submission. [online] Available at: <https://www.spherecre.org/images/Senate_inquiry_into_issues_related_to_menopause_and_perimenopausesubmission.pdf> [Accessed 18 Sep. 2024].
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