Recommendation 3

HM Government Deferred

35. Whilst supporting the ambitions behind this recommendation, the government does not accept this recommendation. 36. It is the government’s ambition, as set out in the Women’s Health Strategy, that all women can access high-quality, personalised menopause care within primary care and, if needed, specialist care in a timely manner and disparities in access to menopause treatment are reduced. 37. It is not within the remit of central government to commission specialist health services. Integrated Care Boards16 (which replaced Clinical Commissioning Groups on 1 July 2022) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the health needs of their local population and have discretion to determine what priority needs are required in their area and can commission and implement specialist services where appropriate, including services for menopause. 38. Following the commencement of the Health and Care Act 2022, Integrated Care Partnerships are preparing Integrated Care Strategies17. These strategies should set the direction of the healthcare system in the local area and set out how commissioners in the NHS and local authorities, working with providers and other partners, can meet their populations needs and deliver more joined-up, preventative, and person-centred care for their whole population. Integrated Care Strategies present an opportunity to do things differently to before, such as reaching beyond ‘traditional’ health and social care services to consider the wider determinants of health or joining-up health, social care and wider services. 39. The Department of Health and Social Care published guidance on Integrated Care Strategies in July 2022 and set out that Integrated Care Partnerships should consider addressing unwarranted variations in population health, and disparities in access, outcomes, and experience of health and social care across their population throughout the integrated care strategy. This could include, subject to local needs and priorities, addressing menopause services. 40. Integrated Care Boards, and their partner local authorities will need to have regard to the Integrated Care Strategy so far as relevant when executing their functions, including the preparation of their five-year joint forward plans. Integrated Care Boards also have a legal duty to reduce inequalities in access to health services; and outcomes including the safety and effectiveness services and the quality of experience undergone by patients. 41. The Women’s Health Strategy encourages Integrated Care Systems (Integrated Care Partnerships and Integrated Care Boards) to take into account the ambitions and actions set out in this strategy when developing their local plans. The strategy also encourages the expansion of models of integrated women’s health services, such as ‘women’s health hubs’. These bring essential women’s services together, including for menopause, to support women to maintain good health and create efficiencies for the NHS. Our ambition is for there to be a women’s health hub or similar in every integrated care system. 42. Furthermore, as part of her role, the Women’s Health Ambassador will be building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Partnerships. Through this, she will work with them to raise the profile of, and encourage further action on, women’s health issues including the menopause.