HRT shortage: employers should consider working adjustments for women

Organisations should consider what short-term working adjustments could be put in place for employees who are affected by the shortage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) supplies.

Digital health benefits provider Peppy has encouraged employers to proactively support women who have struggled to access the HRT products they need to help manage menopause symptoms including hot flushes and anxiety.

Demand for HRT prescriptions has more than doubled since 2017, but supply of some products has not kept up. Last week, chair of House of Commons Women and Equality Committee Caroline Nokes told ministers that some pharmacies had completely run out of products including oestrogen gel, “which enables [some women] to sleep and to work competently”.

Peppy said some employees might have to cope without HRT in the short term, while others might need to switch to a different brand or product that could affect hormone stability.

Working adjustments might help alleviate their symptoms and reduce stress. For example, staff might require time off during working hours to visit their GP or to visit numerous pharmacies to access what they have been prescribed.

Kathy Abernethy, Peppy’s director of menopause services, said: “Employers can start by acknowledging the problem and offer flexibility of hours to allow staff to speak to their medical practitioner and to find suitable HRT stocks, which may or may not be immediately local.

“Employees will really appreciate support from their employer during this supply issue but it’s important that employers are proactive on this matter do not simply wait for staff to approach them.”

Employers could liaise with private GPs to see if access to HRT products could be offered to staff, suggested Peppy.

It also advised sharing information about dealing with hormone fluctuations, as well as information on suitable switches that could be discussed with their GP.

Health secretary Sajid Javid has said the government will appoint a tsar to tackle HRT shortages.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Professor Claire Anderson said: “Difficulties in accessing HRT unfairly impacts women, affects their mental health and worsens health inequalities – this is an area that not only impacts our patients but also the health and care workforce.

“Pharmacists spend many hours dealing with medicines shortages when we’d rather be talking to patients about their care. One solution would be to enable pharmacists to make minor changes to a prescription when something is out of stock. This is faster for patients and more efficient for the NHS.”

In October, the government announced new policies related to menopause support, including lowering HRT prescription charge in England. However, pharmacy minister Maria Caulfield recently said this would not take place until April 2023.