Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 84 of the Women’s Health Strategy for England, published in August 2022, whether his Department has taken steps to encourage research on the reasons women from certain groups are more likely to experience early menopause.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Subject to receiving high quality applications, the NIHR expects to commission a new policy research unit dedicated to reproductive health. The new unit will undertake research to inform policy in areas such as menstruation and gynaecological conditions, including menopause. The brief for the emerging unit stated that research related to disparities in reproductive health service access and outcomes across geographies, protected characteristics and inclusion health groups should be prioritised. Applications are currently being reviewed and the unit is expected to operate from January 2024.

The NIHR has commissioned a menopause research prioritisation exercise, which is considering research recommendations from experts, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the UK Menopause Taskforce. The exercise is also considering the priority areas identified through the Women’s Health Strategy’s call for evidence, including identifying the reasons for earlier menopause in women in specific population groups. Following completion of the exercise, we expect that research will be commissioned in summer 2023.