A healthcare professional from Oxford who specialises in supporting menopausal women has shared expert insights into how symptoms can be eased to mark World Menopause Day.

Dr Lee Lim, a consultant gynecologist and subspecialist in repromedicine with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Welbeck Health Partners, is encouraging all women to invest in perimenopause and menopause health to improve their quality of life.

A regular exercise programme coupled with healthy eating, consistent sleep routines and learning more about preventative medicine is the key to easing symptoms, according to Dr Lim.

She also advised women to regularly monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, weight pattern and sugar levels – all key metrics to understanding hormone levels - so care plans can be personalised to meet individual requirements.

“The average female in the UK lives to the age of over 80, and will experience perimenopause and menopause symptoms from the age of 45,” said Dr Lim. “That’s a gap greater than 30 years, and we want those years to be a positive, enjoyable and healthy time.

“Experiencing menopause is a crucial stage of a person’s development, much like a teenager living through puberty. Our bodies change and menopause will affect every female and their family, sometimes with devastating impacts.

“Women should live confident in the fact they can enjoy the final third of their life.

“Establishing some simple, basic lifestyle routines into your life such as regular exercise, quality sleep and eating healthy foods can contribute to this more than people assume and reduce the requirement for treatments like HRT which can potentially carry risk to a person’s health if not used properly.”

Dr Lim’s advice coincides with the release of an NHS report which found menopause prevents 60,000 women from working and costs the economy £1.5bn annually.

The report also found 83 per cent of women find menopause negatively affects their ability to perform daily tasks, such as going to work or caring for family at home. In addition, 750,000 women are currently listed on NHS waiting lists for gynaecology services.

Dr Lim will form part of a team of healthcare professionals at Welbeck Health Partners’ Oxford centre in Jordan Hill when it opens next year. The 30,000 square foot facility will offer a complete suite of private medical healthcare services and cater to 12 different specialities with the group investing £30m into its development, infrastructure and technology.

Its team will be able to provide on-the-day individualised care plans to women experiencing menopause by reviewing and monitoring symptoms on a case by case basis using the latest technology.

Dr Lim stressed menopause treatments are rarely covered by medical insurance and advised women to check what cover they are eligible to receive.

“So many women are unaware they’re ineligible for menopause treatment – it’s a huge issue,” said Dr Lim. “The impact menopause can have on people’s lives and the economy is preventable with timely advice and professional support.

“Welbeck’s Oxford centre will transform private healthcare locally by providing unrivalled access to NHS-trained doctors and nurses who are specialists in their field and can fulfil on-the-day diagnosis and treatments.”

Welbeck Health Partners’ Oxford centre will be its second private healthcare clinic, once open it will enable the group to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage across the south of England.

Further information is available online via welbeckhealthpartners.com