bbc-data-unit/hormone_replacement_therapy

Our investigation uncovered a postcode lottery in HRT provision across the country

Postcode lottery of menopause care revealed

In October 2022, we revealed a postcode lottery in terms of the amount of money NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) spend per woman aged 45-60 on common hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatments.

Analysis of NHS prescription data shows some local health boards spent three times the amount per woman on Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) than others.

Experts said the treatment options offered by some local health boards were "very limited".

The government said women's health was at the top of its agenda.

Methodology

• The BBC's Shared Data Unit analysed how much Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) spent on common HRT treatments between April 2021 and June 2022.

• We also analysed British Menopauyse Society data on NHS and private menopause clinic locations in the UK. We scraped this data with permission from the BMS's 'find a specialist' tool.

What we found

• Analysis showed the highest rate of spending was West Suffolk where £14.10 was spent per woman aged 45 to 60. That compared to £5.56 spent in Leicester City.

• And further analysis of British Menopause Society data showed 59% of Clinical Commissioning Group areas (CCGs) in England had no NHS clinics, including all of Devon and Cornwall and large areas in the North. The data also showed almost a third of existing NHS clinics were either in London or Surrey.

Get the data

We produced this story pack and this dataset with analysis of NHS Enland prescription data and data on menopause clinic loacations throughout the UK.

We also produced this website allowing our regional news partners to easily access information for their local area.

Partner usage

The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to the wider news industry as part of the BBC Local News Partnership. Stories written by partners based on this research included:

• National World: World Menopause Day: HRT shortages in parts of England leaves women to ‘suffer in silence’) 18 October 2022
• Rochdale Online: Local CCG spent 40% less on menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy per woman than CCG which spent most *18 October 2022
• Warrington Guardian: Women in Warrington receive less than £13 each in menopause treatment *22 October 2022
• Spalding Today: Lincolnshire menopausal women suffering in silence as just £10.11 spent on HRT *22 October 2022
• Yorkshire Evening Post: Leeds menopause expert 'not surprised' by figures showing extent of HRT inequality across NHS CCGs *20 October 2022
• Southern Daily Echo: Southampton woman left 'fighting' for access to HRT *19 October 2022
• Worcester News: Women face postcode lottery for menopause care *20 October 2022
• Suffolk News: West Suffolk CCG spends most money on menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy per woman as experts hit out at lack of options *18 October 2022
• The Stray Ferret: North Yorkshire spends twice as much as other areas on HRT, figures show *18 October 2022
• Malvern Gazette: Women face postcode lottery for menopause care *20 October 2022
• Ledbury reporter: Women face postcode lottery for menopause care *20 October 2022

BBC usage

Nations and Regions TV packages:

• BBC West Midlands
• BBC North East
• BBC East Midlands
• BBC South Today (Oxford)
• BBC South Today (Southampton)

Local radio two-ways:

• BBC Cornwall
• BBC Cumbria
• BBC Devon
• BBC Lancashire
• BBC Newcastle
• BBC Oxford
• BBC Shropshire
• BBC Surrey