Menopause champions and better support backed in Rotherham - but no extra funding yet
Councillors recommended a menopause champion in every GP practice
GP surgeries in Rotherham will be encouraged to appoint menopause champions as part of efforts to improve support for women's health.
Workplace champions, better information for men and young people, and a review of community menopause cafés also feature in the council’s response to a scrutiny review.
But the work will initially have to come from existing resources, with no extra funding allocated at this stage.
The response, set out by cabinet in September, will go before full council on Wednesday, November 4.
The review heard evidence about residents’ experiences of menopause advice, support and treatment, prompting calls for more consistent care across the borough.
Councillors recommended a menopause champion in every GP practice, clearer assessment and referral arrangements, and more training for practice staff.
Those recommendations were only partially accepted. The council says it will encourage improvements but cannot require individual surgeries to introduce them.
A proposal to add menopause screening questions to Talking Therapies and other mental health services also met limits.
The report says clinical advice was that additional questions could not fit into an “already tight mental health screening process”. Raising awareness among clinicians and exploring further training were identified as alternatives.
Within the council, a staff network will help develop workplace menopause champions, while partners will be encouraged to consider similar roles.
Officers will also review existing menopause cafés and information sessions to establish what is still being delivered, and explore support for communities facing language or other barriers.
Oversight of the wider plan is proposed for the Rotherham Women’s Health Network, although the report acknowledges that the recently formed partnership has no dedicated resources.
Further funding could be sought once a delivery plan is developed, if the work cannot be covered by existing services.
Full council is being asked to note cabinet’s response, rather than approve a new funding package.