St Joseph’s Hospital, Newport, has put the spotlight on women’s health with the creation of a brand-new centre of excellence.

The Women’s Health Centre brings together some of St Joseph’s most important women’s health services including gynaecology, pelvic health physiotherapy and the BreastCare Centre of Excellence, making them easily accessible in one place.

As well as these existing services, patients at the Women’s Health Centre will also have access to a brand-new programme of menopause support.

The new centre at the hospital in Malpas offers a holistic approach with a tailored, GP-led treatment programme for each individual. This could include referral to consultants, surgical teams, physiotherapy and counselling, all with access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and imaging technology.

Dr Rebecca Walberg, private GP and director of clinical services at St Joseph’s Hospital, said: “We’re increasingly moving away from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to treatment.

"Around 80 per cent of women experience some menopause symptoms lasting about four years after their last period while 10 per cent of women experience symptoms for 12 years. That’s why we feel it’s important to offer a holistic approach which can be tailored to each experience, with a one-stop service where patients can access everything they need in one place.

“As well as bringing these services together, the Women’s Health Centre has also allowed us to expand our offering. Women’s health is an area often overlooked, especially the menopause which can be a challenging time where many women feel they should ‘just get on with it’ without seeking support.”

In 2017, St Joseph’s announced it had seen more than 100,000 patients since re-launching in October 2015 and that the hospital income had trebled during the previous three years.

A recent period of growth has also seen the launch of the Fibromyalgia Centre of Excellence and The Bridge Rehabilitation Centre. The Bridge is a nine-bed short stay unit specialising in recovery from injury or surgery and short-term care to offer respite to relatives.

St Joseph’s Hospital offers 36 specialties including breast care, cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, private GP and orthopaedic surgery. Consultants at St Joseph’s have access to technology and equipment offering the most advanced diagnostic capabilities outside of London.