New national clinical guidelines give doctors evidence-based standards for menopause care
RANZCOG’s first evidence-based menopause guideline gives GPs a shared reference for managing hot flushes, night sweats and genitourinary symptoms, with practical resources for clinicians and patients.
General practitioners (GPs) and other clinicians now have a new evidence-based reference for managing two of the most common groups of menopause symptoms experienced by women*.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) published the Management of vasomotor and genitourinary symptoms of menopause (C-Gyn 9) guideline on 16 October 2026, two days before World Menopause Day. It covers hot flushes and night sweats, and vaginal, vulval and urinary symptoms, in women aged 40 and over.
The guideline’s development group chair, Dr Catriona Melville, told ABC News it is the college’s first evidence-based guideline on menopause.
New guidelines provide a shared reference for conversations GPs are already having with patients
RANZCOG says menopause care attracts conflicting messages and considerable media and commercial interest. The guideline brings the evidence together to support consistent care and shared decision-making. That gives GPs a reliable reference when patients raise information they have read or heard elsewhere.
Hormone therapy is recommended for hot flushes, with an annual review
The guideline recommends menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) as a first-line pharmacological treatment for troublesome hot flushes and night sweats where there are no contraindications, with an annual review. For genitourinary symptoms, vaginal oestrogen can be used alongside systemic MHT, and women should be offered a genital examination. The guideline also covers non-hormonal options.
The guidelines encourages clinicians to ask about symptoms, particularly with First Nations women and others who face barriers to care. Currently, symptoms such as mood changes, joint pain and changes in cognition are outside its scope. The RANCOG has advised that separate national perimenopause and menopause guidelines are in development to cover these.
A dedicated MBS item supports time for a full assessment
Since 1 July 2025, GPs have been able to claim a menopause and perimenopause health assessment under MBS item 695. The assessment must last at least 20 minutes and can be claimed once a year. It gives practices dedicated time for a comprehensive conversation about symptoms, risk factors and treatment options in line with the new guideline. Practice nurses can assist with the assessment under a GP’s supervision.
Women needing specialised menopause symptom care can be referred to the Oxley Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic
GPs and other primary care clinicians in the Brisbane South PHN region can draw on several local supports when applying the new guideline in practice. The Australian Government-funded Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic in Oxley provides bulk-billed specialised GP care for women experiencing symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, as well as endometriosis and pelvic pain. It is one of 33 Australian Government-funded clinics nationally that now offer menopause and perimenopause support.
The GP-led clinic operates within an existing general practice and supports timely diagnosis, treatment and coordinated care closer to home. A valid Medicare card is required for bulk billing patients.
To refer patients or book an appointment, visit the Blunder Road Oxley Medical and Dental Centre website or phone (07) 3295 5555. The clinic is located at 146 Blunder Road, Oxley.
Helpful links and resources for health professionals
Further information about the new menopause guidelines from RANZCOG, local patient referral pathways and resources to support patients living with symptoms of perimenopause and menopause:
Read the full guideline and the quick reference guide for prescribing tables and a treatment summary.
Share the patient information pamphlet with women weighing up their options.
Listen to the RANZCOG podcast for the key takeaways.
See our general practice Perimenopause and Menopause self-paced quality improvement activity.
Register for free CPD-approved online menopause education program.
A perimenopause/menopause Health Assessment template can be found in Best Practice.
For more information on the assessment and management of menopause, as well as local referral pathways for your patients, visit Brisbane South HealthPathways: Menopause - Community HealthPathways Brisbane South
*Brisbane South PHN acknowledges that sex and gender are distinct concepts and that sex-specific health issues, such as perimenopause and menopause symptoms, affect women and gender diverse people.