New Victoria Hospital will launch a series of events and activities once again this coming March to promote women’s health.
Women’s health has always been one of our main specialities, and we want to dedicate the whole month of March to celebrate it by offering women in Surrey and England the opportunity to speak to our Consultant Gynaecologists, Breast Surgeons, Cardiologists and Rheumatologists and have their questions answered.
Women’s Health activities at New Victoria Hospital
Menopause is the leading theme of this initiative, a health topic many people struggle to open up and find the correct information about. The menopause talks will cover many aspects of this stage of life, where many women experience hot flashes, mood swings, low sex drive, palpitations, and bone fragility. Finally, one more webinar will be dedicated to endometriosis and uterine fibroids, which are often difficult to diagnose and can greatly impact a woman’s day-to-day life.
Women still feel uncomfortable talking to healthcare professionals about their health
The recent survey led by the Department for Health and Social Care revealed that women are still reluctant to open up about specific conditions or symptoms and feel their health issues are sometimes dismissed too quickly.
23% of the respondents said they feel uncomfortable talking to healthcare professionals about their menstrual problems, 29% about gynaecological conditions and 36% about menopause. Overall, 4 in 5 women experienced times when they felt not listened to by healthcare professionals. Family and friends and online search engines are still their favourite go-to sources for information about health and symptoms.
New Victoria Hospital’s CEO, David Marshall, said, “We believe women should have the opportunity to have quick access to healthcare services. We recently invested in expanding our breast clinics, launched personalised health check-ups with our Private GP Service, and always try to provide a straightforward path to specialist care and diagnostics. Our initiative aims at making more women aware of our multidisciplinary approach to their health, and that they can find a safe and professional environment here at New Victoria Hospital to be looked after and have their health needs answered promptly.”
New Victoria Hospital’s webinars in March 2023
With our webinars, we want to provide a safe space for women to receive specialist advice, address their doubts and concerns, and access correct, professional medical information.
All events will be held online via Zoom. To attend our webinars, you must register on Eventbrite where you will also have the opportunity to submit your questions to our Consultants, who will answer them during the webinar.
Wednesday 8th March – 7pm-8.30pm
Sex, sleep, mood & more during menopause – Miss Kate Panter, Consultant Gynaecologist
The average menopause age in the UK is 51, and the main symptom is a change in your period pattern. Some women may experience menopause in their 40s, others in their late 50s, but many symptoms can start even 10 years earlier. This phase is called perimenopause and can significantly affect the quality of your life.
Consultant Gynaecologist Miss Kate Panter will help you navigate this physiological stage of your life and advise you on how to manage symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, vaginal dryness and low sex drive and more.
HRT, breast health & menopause – Prof Zoe Winters, Consultant Breast Surgeon
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) has proved to be beneficial to stop or improve menopause symptoms, but also to reduce bowel cancer, dementia, cardiovascular and hip fracture risk. However, some women are still reluctant to start HRT due to some risks that might be associated with its use, especially relating to breast cancer.
A women’s health specialist's advice is the best way to assess symptoms and prescribe the right hormonal replacement therapy based on your family and health history. Consultant Breast Surgeon Prof Zoe Winters discusses HRT risks and benefits, how to monitor changes in your breasts during menopause and answers your questions on HRT and breast health.
Tuesday, 14th March – 7pm-8.30pm
Menopausal heart & palpitations – Dr Zoe Astroulakis, Consultant Cardiologist
Decreasing oestrogen levels can sometimes affect the heart rhythm. Palpitations are considered a common perimenopause symptom, but they are usually harmless. Shall we then ignore them? Cardiovascular risk rises steadily for all women above 50 and, furthermore, for women in their 40s going through early menopause. HRT can be a great ally to protect your heart during menopause, but many women are concerned about heart disease and stroke risks.
Dr Zoe Astroulakis, Consultant Cardiologist at New Victoria Hospital, speaks about the menopausal heart and will help you understand when to seek medical advice for your symptoms and how to adjust your lifestyle to minimise the risks for the heart during menopause.
Bone health after 45 – Dr Dobrina Hull, Consultant Rheumatologist
Oestrogen plays an important role in maintaining many functions in the body. Bone density is one of them. Bone loss can happen rapidly during the first years of menopause, leading to bone fragility, fractures and pain in later years. Osteoporosis affects 33% of people over 50, and the risk is higher for women experiencing premature menopause.
Consultant Rheumatologist Dr Dobrina Hull talks about the link between oestrogen and bone health, lifestyle measures to maintain it during perimenopause and how to diagnose and manage osteoporosis.
Monday, 20th March – 7pm-8pm
Endometriosis and uterine fibroids: management options – Mr Zaid Hasafa, Consultant Gynaecologist
Endometriosis and uterine fibroids are two different conditions affecting women, mainly in their 30s and 40s. Common symptoms can include heavy and painful period, pain during sex, pain in your lower belly, back or rectum, constipation, lack of energy, infertility, but they can also be asymptomatic in some cases. How do you know if you are suffering from endometriosis or fibroids?
Mr Zaid Hasafa, Consultant Gynaecologist at New Victoria Hospital, talks about how to recognise symptoms of endometriosis and uterine fibroids, when to seek medical help and when surgery is needed.
If you have questions about our events and women’s health activities at New Victoria Hospital, please call us on 020 8949 9096 or email us at [email protected].
