Petition Increase funding for PMDD, PME and menopause screening in mental health services

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are clear that women’s health, including mental health, will never be neglected again. We are taking steps to improve diagnosis and ensure safer and more effective care.

The nation’s mental health has deteriorated over the last decade. Lord Darzi’s investigation found that people accessing NHS mental health services are waiting too long, receive variable quality of care, and suffer from entrenched inequalities. We have already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve NHS mental health services. Total mental health spending for the 2025/26 financial year is expected to be £15.6 billion, an increase of £688 million from the previous year. Almost 8,000 extra mental health workers have been recruited since July 2024, against our target of 8,500 by the end of this Parliament.

We are expanding NHS Talking Therapies which provide psychological support for people with a common mental health condition like stress, anxiety, and depression. More than 670,000 people completed a course of Talking Therapies treatment last year, and through the 10 Year Health Plan, 915,000 people are expected to complete a course of treatment by March 2029. Women experiencing common mental health conditions and issues such as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME) and menopause can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies or be referred by their GP.

While menopause is a natural stage of a woman’s life course, symptoms are common, and for some women, menopause can have a significant impact on mental health. Low mood and anxiety are two possible symptoms of the menopause. In 2025, we announced that menopause questions will be included in routine NHS health checks for over-40s, raising awareness of symptoms and giving women the confidence to seek help. We are working with experts, including GPs, to design this content, to ensure women receive appropriate support for menopause symptoms.

In September 2025, we announced an “online hospital” – NHS Online – which will give people the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. Both menopause and menstrual problems will be among the first conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027. It will connect patients with clinicians across the country through secure, online appointments accessed through the NHS App. NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times more than an average NHS trust, while enhancing patient choice and control over their care.

NHS England is also working on menopause workforce support packages for employees and developing a range of tools and interventions that will help to upskill more GPs in menopause care. This includes awareness of mental health symptoms during menopause and improved access to treatments.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published their updated guidelines on menopause in November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for symptoms. The updated guidelines support healthcare professionals by providing them with information they need to support evidence-based decisions about treatment choices, as well as information and support about menopause.

Menopause treatment options, including Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), can be used to treat symptoms including mood problems and anxiety. NICE recommends that, for most women, HRT is a safe and effective treatment option. It is important that women are provided with accurate information and are able to make informed choices about their care, including treatment options such as HRT. The NICE guidelines also recommend that healthcare professionals should consider menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy as an option for symptoms associated with menopause in addition to HRT.

Department of Health and Social Care