Health professionals are now better equipped to support women experiencing severe and complex menopause symptoms, thanks to new services opening across NSW and resources available through our Menopause Initiative.
One-in-four women experience severe and complex menopause symptoms. New services are being established to increase healthcare capacity, and ensure women receive the care they need.
Four new menopause hubs are being established as centres of expert multidisciplinary care in South Eastern Sydney, South Western Sydney, Northern Sydney and Hunter New England Local Health Districts (LHDs). Each hub will also provide clinical care to patients from 12 additional referral sites throughout the state.
Following a commitment to invest in women’s health through the NSW Government Women’s Opportunity Statement, the ACI’s Menopause Initiative, led by an expert Taskforce, developed the model of care that is now being implemented through the hub and referral sites.
“This is a much-needed service across NSW Health,” says Laura Worthing, Menopause Taskforce member and Senior Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist at Central Coast LHD. “So many women I've seen have felt dismissed about their menopause symptoms, despite the huge impact on their quality of life, exercise, caring duties and work participation.”
Establishing statewide services
For Menopause Initiative Manager Danella Hackett, it’s been exciting to see the model of care come to life as the specialist service hubs have opened around the state.
Menopause symptoms can cover so many areas of women’s health – from cardiac and musculoskeletal to pelvic, cognitive and mental health issues. By bringing together multidisciplinary teams of medical, nursing and allied health professionals, this model is an opportunity to improve the overall health of women, and provide better access to menopause services for priority populations.
Statewide services will focus on the four identified clinical priorities for menopause care in NSW:
- Awareness and capability building in primary care
- Clear referral pathways to dedicated menopause services
- Holistic assessment
- Moving to team-based care
To meet these priorities, each hub is bringing together a team of medical, allied health and nursing professionals to provide leading multidisciplinary care. At the hub and referral sites, menopause coordinators will triage patients to assess whether they can be treated locally or need broader hub team care. Patients can be referred by their GP into local sites, ensuring women living in regional, rural and remote areas can also access care close to home.
“People from rural areas often comment on the lack of access to menopause care,” says Heidi Cairney, Nurse Manager at the Hunter New England LHD hub in Wallsend. “They really appreciate the option to receive specialised care in-person or from home using virtual care.” The hub launched this month, and also supports referral sites in Mid North Coast and Northern NSW LHDs.
Project leads within the districts are working to establish the hubs and referral sites. The ACI is supporting the leads with guidance on redesign methodology; establishing a community of practice to support localisation of the model of care; and facilitating collaborative planning workshops between hubs and their cluster referral sites.
Building clinical capability
Partnering with primary care providers is key to improving access to menopause care. This includes building awareness and clinical capability, as well as connecting them to the hubs and referral sites.
A new toolkit developed by the Menopause Initiative is now available to support clinicians to diagnose, refer to appropriate services and provide care. It brings together resources on:
- early, premature and medically induced menopause and primary symptoms
- related conditions, including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pelvic, cognitive and mental health
- providing patient-centred care for specific patient groups and building clinical capability
- multidisciplinary support available through the hubs and referral sites.
Health professionals can also benefit from a bi-monthly forum, MenoECHO, which launched in September 2023 . It uses case-based learning to support clinicians to build their capability in menopause management. It is an opportunity for general practitioners, gynaecologists, endocrinologists, other medical specialists, nurses and allied health professionals to learn from experts. The next session on 30 September will focus on psychiatry and mood disorders associated with menopause.
