The lack of NHS menopause services across Warwickshire has prompted calls for the government to take action with a 'top down' approach to the issue.

And the chair of the county council's adult social care and health overview and scrutiny committee said it was about time the matter was discussed more openly.

Cllr Clare Golby (Con, Arbury) told this week's meeting: "This is what can be, for some women, an extremely traumatic event that lasts for years and we have no NHS provision within Warwickshire. That is disgusting and that has to change.

"We need to get clear messages out there on these things and options that are actually useful rather than going to Dr Google and then going to Holland & Barrett and buying supplements which is effectively what I've had to do – and if I'm doing it then pretty much everyone else is doing it too.

"We've highlighted the fact that there are no services through the NHS in Warwickshire and that needs to be amended

"I am surprised this is not on anybody's radar because it clearly needs to be. I'm going to send a letter to the Secretary of State because I think we need to get more of a top down focus on this. This is not just half of Warwickshire's population, this is half of the population of Great Britain.

"Why is nobody actually discussing this? Hormones – we all have them and we need to talk about it. Unless we normalise these discussions it is never going to get any better. It is not just about women sitting in a room and moaning, it is about doing something to make people feel valuable, constructive and useful."

Earlier in the meeting, Warwickshire's director of public health Dr Shade Agboola explained that the only menopause services in the county were available from two private practises.

Cllr Golby's suggestion that a task and finish group be set up to look at the shortfall was backed by councillors.

She added: "This affects people in every corner of their life. Memory loss – sometimes I sit in this room and look at you and can't remember what your name is. It's really bad and it makes me feel inadequate.

"I lost clumps of hair and put it down to stress – Covid, everyone in lockdown and homeschooling – but it was traumatic. And then when you leave the house and have to interact with other human beings it amplifies it so much."

"Half of the population are not being covered by this and yet half of the population will go through this. That is not acceptable in this day and age."