To ask the Minister of Health to detail how treatments for perimenopause and menopause will be incorporated into the Women's Health Action Plan.

Work to develop a Women’s Health Action Plan is ongoing, which will include the wide range of policy and service development initiatives currently in progress and outline any actions that can be delivered within current resources over the next three years to improve health services and deliver better outcomes for women.

I launched a survey in November 2024 with the aim of hearing directly from women about their health priorities and barriers to accessing services. Early findings, including any menopause feedback from this survey, are due at the end of May 2025 and will be considered as work develops on the Action Plan.

My Department also recently hosted a number of online engagement events with women's representative groups and healthcare professionals, input received will be reviewed over the coming weeks to help inform the priorities in the action plan.

In 2023, my Department commissioned the Getting it Right First Time Team (GIRFT) to undertake an independent, external rapid review of gynaecology services in Northern Ireland. The aim of the GIRFT review was to identify areas where improvements could be made in the extensive waiting lists for gynaecology services, including those for menopause, and to ensure that patients are treated as quickly as possible to ensure best possible outcomes.

The report, which was published in January 2024, set out recommendations designed to maximise capacity, reduce waiting times, improve patient care and outcomes.

A Regional HSC Gynaecology Services Forum, with Trust and PHA representation, has been established to oversee ongoing service improvement and implementation at a local and regional level. Although work is at an early stage of development and will require additional funding, this will include mapping clinical pathways from presentation at GP services into secondary and tertiary care, which will benefit both patients and clinicians. This work includes a specific task and finish group to consider menopause care.