Department Of Health
- Since April last year, half a million women in England have benefitted from cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help with menopause symptoms
- The HRT prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) are part of a wider scheme of government initiatives to bolster support for women experiencing negative menopause symptoms, as part of its world-leading Womens Health Strategy
- More than 11 million saved by women using the PPC in last nine months
Since launching on 1 April last year, more than 500,000 women in England have accessed cheaper HRT the main treatment for negative menopause symptoms helping to save hundreds of pounds in prescription charges.
A key pillar of the first year of Englands Womens Health Strategy, which made menopause a priority area, the HRT PPC reduced prescription costs to just 19.30 per year. It can be used against a list of eligible HRT items that includes patches, tablets and topical preparations. Patients can use the HRT PPC as many times as needed throughout the year.
Making HRT more accessible through reducing its cost is one way the government is making menopause support more readily available to women. This year the government has also successfully tackled supply issues,by working with suppliers to encourage and supportthemto meet growing demand.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:
I am determined to make access to healthcare faster, simpler, and fairer. Better access to HRT will improve the lives of millions and gives women the freedom to take control of their symptoms.
This is a huge milestone and shows how successful our Womens Health Strategy is in delivering the outcomes women want and deserve.
Minister for Womens Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said:
Every woman is different and so its essential we make sure all women can access the right medication that works for them.
Many women often need to try a few different types of HRT to get the right medication that works for them. By reducing the price of HRT to under 20 for a years supply, weve made it more equitable for women to go on living their normal lives.
Our Womens Health Strategy continues to deliver on what women want.
Women experiencing the menopause will also benefit from the establishment of womens health hubs in local health areas across the country.
As a result of the government investment of 25 million, womens health hubs will improve womens access to care, improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. The government aims to establish at least one womens health hub in every local area this year, enabling better access and quality of care in services for menstrual problems, contraception, pelvic pain, menopause care and more.
Professor Dame Lesley Regan, the Womens Health Ambassador for England said:
When we created this Strategy, we made it clear it would improve womens health outcomes. 500,000 women accessing affordable HRT is a clear, tangible result of just that.
Menopause is an inevitable stage of every womans life, so receiving second rate care for a predictable problem is not acceptable.
The HRT PPC is a fantastic way of giving more women access to treatment and our womens health hubs will provide women experiencing severe menopause symptoms advice from a healthcare professional.
NHS England will continue its work to improve menopause care by piloting new guidance for nurses, GPs, and other staff to better recognise and treat menopause symptoms, with integrated care systems (or primary care teams) in the Midlands region.
Michael Brodie, Chief Executive of the NHS Business Services Authority, which is responsible for delivering this service, said:
This significant milestone highlights the crucial role this service provides for patients who rely on HRT, allowing them access to their medication at a reduced cost.
Menopause can impact on all areas of a womens life. The government has appointedHelen Tomlinson as the governments first Menopause Employment Champion, and have awardedgrant funding to charities across England to help employers make changes to their workplace to support womens reproductive health, which includes menopause.
How to use the PPC
There are a few different ways to get theHRTPPC:
- online on theNHSBSAwebsite:www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc
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in person at some pharmacies
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if youre deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the textphone (or minicom) to contact theNHSBSAusing the text relay service. Dial 18001 then the relevant phone number. This will be available from 25 May 2023
- theNHSBSAalso offers a telephone translation service and can provide documents in large print or Braille on request
Patients can call 0300 330 2089 for help and support.
To use yourHRTPPC, ask your prescriber for yourHRTitems on a separate prescription to any other medicines you are prescribed (one prescription per item). This is to ensure the prescription can be processed correctly at the pharmacy.
Take your prescriptions andHRTPPCto a pharmacy and use it as many times as you need over 12 months.
Before getting theHRTPPC:
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check that youre not already eligible forfree NHS prescriptionsusing the eligibility checker on theNHSBSAwebsite
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check that your medicine is covered by theHRTPPC- see thelist of eligibleHRTmedication
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check whether a3 or 12-month generalPPCis more suitable for you - it covers all NHS prescriptions, not justHRTitems, and may be more cost-effective if you are prescribed other medicines as well asHRT
TheHRTPPCwill be valid for 12 months and there is no limit on the number of times the certificate is used before it expires. You do not need to get it on 1 April - get it just before your next prescription to maximise your