List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.114The committee recommends that the Department of Health and Aged Care commission research to establish a comprehensive evidence base about the impacts of menopause and perimenopause on women in Australia, including:

Menopause differentiated from midlife stressors;

Mental health impacts of menopause; and

Early menopause.

The research should also establish an understanding of experiences for:

Culturally and linguistically diverse women;

First Nations women;

LGBTQIA+ individuals; and

Women living with a disability.

Recommendation 2

2.117The committee recommends that the Australian Government launch a national menopause and perimenopause awareness campaign, providing information and resources for women and communities across Australia. This awareness campaign should be designed in consultation with experts and people with lived experience.

Recommendation 3

2.120The committee recommends that, in the next review of the Australian Curriculum, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) consider how menopause can be expressly referenced in the menstrual health and reproductive cycles content within the Health and Physical Education learning area.

Recommendation 4

3.78The committee recommends that the Australian Government commission research to undertake a comprehensive study to assess the economic impacts of menopause which clearly delineates the impact of symptoms of menopause on women’s workforce participation, income, superannuation, and age of retirement.

Recommendation 5

3.81The committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce reforms to allow the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) to re-commence data collection on the supports employers are providing, and their usage, for employees experiencing menopause and perimenopause, including specific workplace policies.

Recommendation 6

3.90The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amendments to Section 65 of the Fair Work Act 2009, to ensure women can access flexible working arrangements during menopause.

Recommendation 7

3.91The committee encourages Australian workplaces develop perimenopause and menopause workplace policies in consultation with their employees.

Recommendation 8

3.92The committee recommends that the Australian Government task the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to undertake further research on the impact and effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health leave where it has been implemented in Australia and overseas, while giving consideration to introducing paid gender-inclusive reproductive leave in the National Employment Standards (NES) and modern awards.

Recommendation 9

4.141The committee recommends that the Australian Government encourage the Australian Medical Council to consider explicitly including menopause and perimenopause in the Graduate Outcome Statements of the Standards for Assessment and Accreditation of Primary Medical Programs. The committee further recommends that menopause and perimenopause be included in graduate outcomes for other health professionals, including nurses and physiotherapists.

Recommendation 10

4.142The committee recommends that the Australian Medical Council work with Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand to ensure that menopause and perimenopause modules are included in all medical university curriculums.

Recommendation 11

4.146The committee recommends that all governments and the medical colleges work together to require and facilitate further education on menopause and perimenopause for physicians practising in the public health system across Australia.

Recommendation 12

4.147The committee recommends that the Australian Government considers increasing funding and expand the recipient base for the delivery of incentivised continuing professional development to medical practitioners on perimenopause and menopause.

Recommendation 13

4.148The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider how to expand the scope of practice of nurse practitioners to ensure better support for women experiencing menopause in rural and regional areas.

Recommendation 14

4.155The committee recommends that the Department of Health and Aged Care, through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Continuous Review, review existing MBS item numbers relevant for menopause and perimenopause consultations, including for longer consultations and mid-life health checks, to assess whether these items are adequate to meet the needs of women experiencing menopause.

Recommendation 15

4.156The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider whether a new MBS item number or the expansion of criteria for the mid-life health check, is needed to support greater access to primary care consultations for women during the menopause transition.

Recommendation 16

4.166The committee recommends that the Department of Health and Aged Care, including the Therapeutic Goods Administration, consider action to address the shortages of menopause hormonal therapy (MHT) in the Australian market and consider options to secure sufficient supply, including a review of the supply chains and pricing trends of MHT, with a view to enabling universal affordable access to treatment and care.

Recommendation 17

4.167The committee recommends the Therapeutic Goods Administration continue to monitor the advertising alternative medicines and treatments in Australia and take action as appropriate. The committee further recommends the Department of Health and Aged Care consider reviewing the labelling of TGA approved medicines.

Recommendation 18

4.168The committee recommends that the Australian Government examine options to implement a means of ensuring that MHT items are affordable and accessible, including consideration of domestic manufacturing and alternate means of subsidising costs to the consumer. Such examination should include, but not be limited to, considering ways to encourage pharmaceutical sponsors to list a broader range of MHT items, such as body identical hormone therapy products, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to ensure appropriate access and lowered costs for all women who need it.

Recommendation 19

4.169The committee recommends that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) reforms comparator selection during evaluation of new MHT items to include quality of life health impacts. The committee also recommends that the PBAC regards body identical hormone therapy products in a separate drug class to remove the lowest cost comparator to synthetic therapies.

Recommendation 20

4.172The committee recommends the Australasian Menopause Society regularly review and update their guidance for medical practitioners around best practices in the treatment and management of mental health symptoms.

Recommendation 21

4.175The committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to implement or leverage existing women’s health facilities with multidisciplinary care, including in the public health system, to better support women during the menopause transition across Australia.

Recommendation 22

5.73The committee recommends that organisations tasked with improving menopause care utilise learnings from international best practice.

Recommendation 23

5.74The committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate improvements to the collection and use of data to assist with research into the experience of menopause and perimenopause, and surveillance of the outcomes of the use of MHT.

Recommendation 24

5.75The committee recommends that the Australian Government task the National Women’s Health Advisory Council to assist state and territory governments to deliver a National Menopause Action Plan which considers best practices in menopause care.

Recommendation 25

5.77The committee recommends that the Australian Government task the Department of Health and Aged Care and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to monitor international best practices to ensure Australia is at the forefront of menopause and perimenopause care.