Christie Watson, 45, is a writer and professor of medical and health humanities at UEA. She won the Costa first novel award in 2011 for her first book, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away. Her memoir about nursing, The Language of Kindness, was published in 2018 and Quilt on Fire: The Messy Magic of Midlife, her insightful and outspoken exploration of middle age and the perimenopause, is out this week.
What is your take on the current shortages of HRT medication in the UK? What does it say about how our government regards women’s health?
Menopause seems to be having quite a moment, doesn’t it? There are all these menopausal warriors raising awareness – Davina McCall, Sam Baker and many others. Women’s health has always been undervalued and underfunded by governments. And now there’s a huge influx of women requesting HRT. It is unsustainable, unfair and heartbreaking that they are not able to access treatment.
