FOI release

Menopause care in breast cancer services (PhD)

Case reference FOI2026/00490

Received 15 February 2026

Published 2 June 2026

Request

Dear FOI Team, This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I am a doctoral researcher studying the provision of menopause care (as per NICE definition: ‘menopause care is described as the identification, assessment, support and management of menopause and its associated symptoms') for people treated for breast cancer within NHS services. I would be grateful if you could provide the information below as recorded by your Trust. 1. Policy and pathways 1a. Does your Trust have a written policy, guideline, or clinical pathway addressing menopause symptoms in patients treated for breast cancer? Yes / No If yes, please provide the document or a web link. 1b. Is menopause care for breast cancer patients addressed within:     a) Breast cancer service guidelines     b) Oncology service guidelines     c) Menopause service guidelines     d) Not formally addressed 2. Service provision 2a. Does your Trust provide specialist menopause support specifically for patients with a history of breast cancer? Yes / No 2b. If yes, which of the following are available? (Please tick all that apply) Dedicated menopause clinic Joint oncology–gynaecology clinic Breast cancer nurse–led service Referral to general menopause clinic External referral only 3. Staffing and expertise 3a. Are any of the following routinely involved in menopause management for breast cancer patients? Breast care nurses Oncologists Gynaecologists GPs with special interest in menopause Menopause specialist nurses Sexual health specialist (including clinician/oncologist trained in sexual health and wellbeing) Other, please specify......................... 3b. Does your Trust provide specific training or education on menopause management in breast cancer patients for clinical staff? Yes / No 4. Patient information and support Does your Trust provide written or digital patient information, other than publicly available information, specifically addressing menopause symptoms after breast cancer treatment? Yes / No If yes, please provide copies or links. 5. Data collection and audit 5a. Does your Trust routinely collect or audit data on menopause symptoms or menopause-related quality of life in breast cancer patients? Yes / No 5b. Has your Trust conducted any audit, service evaluation, or quality improvement project related to menopause care in breast cancer patients in the last 3 years? Yes / No If yes, please provide the title and date. If any part of this request exceeds the cost limit, I would be grateful if you could advise how it may be refined

Response

1. Policy and pathways

1a. Does your Trust have a written policy, guideline, or clinical pathway addressing menopause symptoms in patients treated for breast cancer?
No. The Trust does not hold a formally approved policy, guideline, or clinical pathway specifically addressing menopause symptoms in patients treated for breast cancer. A draft SOP for an advisory menopause oncology MDT was developed but was not formally ratified or adopted as Trust policy. 

1b. Is menopause care for breast cancer patients addressed within:
a) Breast cancer service guidelines – Not formally addressed
b) Oncology service guidelines – Not formally addressed
c) Menopause service guidelines – Not formally addressed
d) Not formally addressed – Yes. Menopause care for this group is supported through an informal advisory MDT forum.

2. Service provision

2a. Does your Trust provide specialist menopause support specifically for patients with a history of breast cancer?
Yes. Specialist advice is provided through an advisory menopause oncology MDT, which supports clinicians managing patients with complex menopausal symptoms following hormone-dependent or hormone-sensitive cancer. 

2b. If yes, which of the following are available?

  • Dedicated menopause clinic – Yes (general menopause clinic; not cancer-specific)

  • Joint oncology–gynaecology clinic – No

  • Breast cancer nurse–led service – No

  • Referral to general menopause clinic – Yes

  • External referral only – No

3. Staffing and expertise

3a. Are any of the following routinely involved in menopause management for breast cancer patients?

  • Breast care nurses – No

  • Oncologists – Yes

  • Gynaecologists – Yes

  • GPs with special interest in menopause – No

  • Menopause specialist nurses – Yes

  • Sexual health specialist (including clinician/oncologist trained in sexual health and wellbeing) – No

  • Other – None

3b. Does your Trust provide specific training or education on menopause management in breast cancer patients for clinical staff?
No formal Trust-wide training programme is in place. The advisory MDT provides an educational and professional development forum for participating clinicians. 

4. Patient information and support

Does your Trust provide written or digital patient information, other than publicly available information, specifically addressing menopause symptoms after breast cancer treatment?
Yes. Following MDT discussion, outcome letters may be sent to GPs and copied to patients. The Trust does not hold separate standalone patient information leaflets specific to menopause after breast cancer.

5. Data collection and audit

5a. Does your Trust routinely collect or audit data on menopause symptoms or menopause-related quality of life in breast cancer patients?
No.

5b. Has your Trust conducted any audit, service evaluation, or quality improvement project related to menopause care in breast cancer patients in the last 3 years?
No formal audit or service evaluation specific to menopause care in breast cancer patients has been conducted.

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

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