Mr Javid told The Mail on Sunday he was “determined” to make sure supplies were meeting the high demand and would use lessons learned during the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

“I will be urgently convening a meeting with suppliers to look at ways we can work together to improve supply in the short and long term,” he said.

“It’s also clear to me that we need to apply some of the lessons from the vaccine taskforce to this challenge, so we will soon be recruiting for an HRT supply chairperson.”

Hormone therapy helps to combat menopausal symptoms, which include anxiety, joint pain, disturbed sleep and hot flushes.

Jo McEwan, from menopause training company PositivePause, which provides support to women and organisations, welcomed the announcement.

“What’s happened is the supply can’t keep up with the demand now, clearly,” she said. 

“But this isn’t the first time it’s happened so I think, yes, let’s make somebody accountable or get someone who’s got that authority to say: ‘Right, let’s get the big picture on this, let’s talk to the stakeholders, let’s talk to the pharma companies, and let’s ensure that women are not, as you say, trading HRT in car parks and buying it from abroad’.”

‘We are at crisis point with supply of HRT’

Dr Louise Newson, who runs the not-for-profit Newson Health Research And Education, described the move as “wonderful news”.

She said: “There’s no doubt about it – we are at crisis point with regards to the supply of HRT.

“There are thousands of women in this country that are reliant on this to live their everyday lives.

“I see so many women come into my clinic who have struggled on a day-to-day basis with menopause symptoms, who are then able to take back control with the help of HRT.

“It is growing increasingly clear to me that the way the medical community views menopause needs to change; this is not a lifestyle issue – it is a health issue, which carries real risks if not treated properly. This move is a step in the right direction.”

The shortages come after months of campaigning for greater awareness and increased support for those going through the menopause.

Among the voices were TV presenter and model Penny Lancaster, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, as well as Davina McCall, who both joined MPs outside parliament to protest against prescription charges for HRT in October 2021.