Women experiencing severe or complex menopause symptoms now have improved access to additional support following the establishment of Western NSW Local Health District's (WNSWLHD) new menopause referral service.
WNSWLHD's new Specialised Menopause Referral Service aims to provide assistance and support for women whose symptoms have not responded to previous treatments, or those women who face additional complications from other medical conditions.
The new service has been established as part of NSW Health's menopause network, which has four hubs and multiple referral sites across the state and is networked with the South-Western Sydney LHD hub.
General practitioners, specialists and nurse practitioners are able to refer women to the service for advanced care.
Care Coordinators will assist with triage and navigate care locally, supporting the medically-led, multi-disciplinary hub team of nursing and allied health professionals to provide holistic support.
The WNSWLHD Specialised Menopause Referral Service will deliver care using a hybrid approach, with a largely virtual service coupled with face-to-face consultations when they are required.
More information is available here.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
"I'm pleased to announce this service has been launched today on World Menopause Day today, to improve menopause care and support options available for local women.
"This Specialised Menopause Referral Service will promote flexibility and choice in the way women in Western NSW access support to manage severe menopause symptoms, and by improving access locally this service will significantly reduce the need to travel for this important care.
"Up to one in four women endure severe and debilitating menopause symptoms, which is why services like this one are so important.
"By continuing to break down barriers like geographic isolation through effective use of virtual care technology, this service will help us continue to improve health outcomes."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Women Jodie Harrison:
"Menopause will affect most women at some stage of their life.
"This new menopause referral service will provide much needed support to women in regional areas who experience complex menopausal symptoms and can provide advice about associated health risks of menopause.
"On this World Menopause Day, I also encourage women to speak up - you don't have to suffer in silence. There is support available from your GP and specialists. The Menopause Toolkit can help you understand a bit more about perimenopause and menopause symptoms, and the care available."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty:
"Every woman is different, and every woman experiences different symptoms of menopause. But many women experiencing severe or complex symptoms will endure in silence which can seriously impact their health and wellbeing.
"That's why enhancements like this are so important, this service is eye-opening and will be potentially life-changing for many women in Western NSW, which is home to some of our state's most remote and most vulnerable populations."
Quotes attributable to WNSWLHD Senior Manager Women's Health and Violence Prevention Nicolla Giddings:
"Severe symptoms of menopause don't discriminate, and our new Specialised Menopause Referral Service aims to help local women access the support they need as close to home as possible.
"Being an inclusive service and providing reliable access to advanced care for people living in rural areas of our District is at the forefront of this new service, to also increase the comfort levels of women while they receive care."
