WOMEN in York and North Yorkshire pay more than the average cost in England for menopause treatment, data has revealed.

Analysis of NHS prescription data has revealed that there is a disparity in costs and available options for menopause treatment across the country, with some areas paying three times the average for hormonal replacement therapy (HRT).

HRT replaces hormones that are at a lower level in women approaching the menopause, and needs to be prescribed by a GP.

In the Vale of York CCG area, 32,128 women, aged 45-60, were prescribed HRT in the year to June 2022 and paid £11.95 per single prescription on average. The average cost for a HRT prescription in the UK is £9.35.

Women in West Suffolk pay the most at £14.09 per prescription.

In the North Yorkshire CCG area, 42,477 women were prescribed HRT and paid £12.04.

Diane Danzebrink, of the Menopause Support charity, said: "Often we will hear from women who are being prescribed oral tablets as a first line, and they’re not being offered options.

“Sometimes that is because those options are purely not available on their local CCG formulary. So that sort of ties the hands of their doctors to be able to offer them choices. But we do definitely see that it seems to be in some parts of the country rather than others.”

The British Menopause Society revealed that 59 per cent of CCG areas in England have no NHS menopause clinics, which included large areas in the North, while almost a third are either in London or Surrey.

There are currently no menopause clinics in Vale of York, with three in North Yorkshire.

Of the 199 clinics in England, 75 are run by the NHS, and 124 operate on a private basis.

Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, said: "Every woman goes through the menopause, and some have very profound symptoms which require medical attention.

"The new Integrated Care Board must ensure that there is a menopause clinic in York to help women through this stage in life, to educate employers about how they can support menopausal women at work and to ensure that those who need HRT, can access the medication they need.

"While there is a national supply issue with HRT, women in York should not be paying more for their treatment than elsewhere in the country.

"I believe that paying for HRT places a further tax on women, not least after decades of also paying for sanitary products.

"It is time that women’s healthcare was seen as a priority, attracted free treatment and real support. Now this new data is available, I will certainly be raising this on behalf of women across York."