Coroner Demands Urgent NHS Reforms Over Fatal Gaps in Menopause Care

Systemic Failures in Menopause Support Exposed

Senior coroner Samantha Lamb has issued a scathing critique of the NHS’s inadequate menopause care following the death of Jacqueline Anne Potter, a 54-year-old teacher who died by suicide in 2022. Potter’s mental health decline was linked to perimenopausal symptoms, with the coroner highlighting systemic gaps in support for women lacking access to private healthcare.

Timeline of a Preventable Tragedy

Potter, known as Anne to her family, first sought help for anxiety in 2008 but was not assessed for perimenopause until 2021. Despite starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT), her mental health worsened, leading to a voluntary psychiatric admission in October 2022. She died during a temporary home leave in December 2022. An inquest concluded that menopause exacerbated her anxiety, with her family receiving insufficient guidance to support her during critical home visits.

Coroner’s Condemnation and Call to Action

Lamb condemned the NHS’s failure to mandate menopause training for clinicians, stating, “Menopause is a natural phase, not a lifestyle choice—yet the system treats it as an afterthought.” She underscored severe under-resourcing, noting Somerset’s NHS Trust had just one part-time menopause specialist. Her report, sent to NHS England, demands reforms to prioritize menopause care with the same urgency as other medical conditions.