From 1^st April women in England will be able to access cheaper Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to help with menopause symptoms.

The new HRT prepayment certificate (PPC) being rolled outwill reduce prescription costs to just £19.30 per year and can be used against a list of eligible HRT items including patches, tablets, and topical preparations. Patients can also use the HRT PPC as many times as they need across the year.

Making HRT more accessible, by reducing the cost, aims to make menopause support more readily available to everyone who needs it. The government is aiming to work with suppliers to encourage and support HRT supply to meet growing demand.

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Women’s Health Ambassador for England said:

“Many women do not realise that they are going through the menopause.

“Helping to make them aware about the inevitability of becoming menopausal, is an important first step. The next step is improving awareness that HRT may be an option to help women manage this stage of their life course.

“Making HRT easier to access will significantly improve the lives of many women who choose to use it, enabling them to reach their full potential.”

HRT is a safe and effective treatment for most people going through the menopause and perimenopause. It can help relieve menopause and perimenopause symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness. Taking HRT can also reduce the risk of hormone-related health problems including osteoporosis and heart disease.

For further information about the new prepayment certificate or to find out more about HRT, please speak to your GP.

‍

‍

‍