P-06-1480 Make menopause a mandatory part of the curriculum for all healthcare sciences and medical students

Petitions4

This petition was submitted by Nico Campbell, having collected 540 signatures.

Text of petition

Menopause is experienced by approximately 50% of the population. There are a wide variety of symptoms and long term health risks associated with it which can significantly impact physical and mental health, and which for some people can affect their ability to work, socialise, and maintain good health and well being.

In spite of this, education about menopause during healthcare and medical training programs in Wales is minimal, and there is no mandatory requirement for including this topic.

Additional information

It is not just doctors who will care for people experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. As such, as well as calling for all medical students to be taught about menopause symptom and interventions, we also call for all students of healthcare sciences in Wales to be educated. Nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, radiographers, ODPs, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists will all encounter people experiencing menopause in their professional practice. Mandatory education will enable greater confidence and competence in identifying perimenopause/menopause, and improve outcomes for patients.

Promptly identifying perimenopause/menopause can enable healthcare and medical professionals to empower patients to work in partnership to manage their own health effectively, minimise waste through unnecessary prescribing, and reduce repeat appointments and unnecessary referrals at a time where resourcing in the Welsh NHS is under strain.

Status 

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 10/03/2025.

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above. 

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 02/12/2024. 

Senedd Constituency and Region

·     Cynon Valley

·     South Wales Central

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