Major change to high street chain as 600 stores introduce new women’s health service

A MAJOR change is coming to the high street to help women take control of their health.

Holland & Barrett is introducing a Women’s Health Coach to 600 of its 800 UK stores from this week.

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The company is committing to helping women understand their hormone health better in order to relieve symptoms of PMS, menopause and pregnancy, or simply understand themselves more.

It comes against a backdrop of woeful education – and information – about women’s hormone health over their lifetime.

The Sun has been dedicated to raising awareness of menopause symptoms and how women can manage them since 2020, with the launch of its Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.

Meanwhile, as young women increasingly turn to social media for sexual or menstrual health information, some of which can be misleading or false, Holland & Barret will launch the UK’s first free menstrual health video consultation service staffed by trained nurses.

It’s part of its free general women’s health ‘helpline’ with trained nurses – people can book 15-minute video consultation appointments here.

Nurses can help prepare individuals for a GP consultation and offer advice on what they can do while they wait.

For example, going to a GP with a menopause symptom diary can ensure the right medication and faster treatment, or to discuss symptoms of endometriosis – which takes seven years to get diagnosed, on average.

A survey of 2,500 women found that 48 per cent say they have felt dismissed when speaking about symptoms of menstruating.

Health professionals ranked top of the list (16 per cent) as most likely to dismiss symptoms.

It compares with eight per cent for employers and eight per cent for partners.

That’s despite almost half (49 per cent) stating they have experienced negative symptoms throughout their menstrual cycle, such as weight changes, low energy, stress and cramps.

Over a quarter (28 per cent) of women admit to living with symptoms for longer than a year before seeking help, or not seeking help at all.

It’s no surprise after the Government’s Women’s Health Strategy call to evidence, the results of which were published in 2022, found that issues of menstrual and gynaecological care were impacting women in the UK.

Understanding and optimising the menstrual cycle can unlock a lot of the mysteries about women’s health and even help improve other areas of their wellness such as gut health, energy, sleep, skin and metabolism. 

Lina ChanWomen’s Health Director at Holland & Barrett

Among its key recommendations were to improve access to high-quality information about women’s health, improve the education of healthcare professionals, and to encourage them to better listen to women.

Lina Chan, Women’s Health Director at Holland & Barrett, said: “Women’s health has been under-served for too long.

“Being on every high street, we are ideally placed within the community to support and help add quality years to life and truly champion wellness for all women. 

“Our new long-term commitment will start by empowering women to understand their hormones, so they are in control of their marvellous bodies. 

Unlocking the cycle

“Understanding and optimising the menstrual cycle can unlock a lot of the mysteries about women’s health and even help improve other areas of their wellness such as gut health, energy, sleep, skin and metabolism. 

“By proactively engaging with our hormone health we can also better understand gynaecological conditions, fertility and the menopause as hormones sit at the core of these various life transitions where women can experience severe symptoms.”

More than a third of women (35 per cent) say there is a lack of education or readily available, trusted support and guidance on women’s health issues.

And 60 per cent of women agree there needs to be more access to information and support, with a third (31 per cent) stating they were last equipped with information on their cycle and hormones when at school, or not at all.

Women’s menstruation is often thought of as just a period. But the cycle – typically lasting 28 days – is a complex journey of hormonal changes implicating mood daily.

For example, low mood is typically experienced during the premenstrual phase, when progesterone falls, but women feel their most energised and sociable during the second half of the follicular phase, when oestrogen and testosterone levels rise. 

As part of a wider ‘Women’s Wellness Commitment’, Holland & Barrett will also ensure women’s health training will be expanded to 4,000 staff in stores to offer products.

The H&B Women’s Wellness Commitment will kick-off with an awareness campaign on hormone health – ‘Own Every Day Of The Month’ campaign – supported by actor and writer, Hayley Morris.

Hayley Morris said: “I’m so proud to be able to support Holland & Barrett’s ‘Own Every Day Of The Month’ campaign, and be a part of a genuine movement for women to understand their health better, and the role of our powerful hormones within it.”

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