A pioneering project could be launched in Bradford aimed at keeping women fitter and healthier in middle and old age.

The Pennell Initiative on women's health plans to pilot a three-month scheme in the city which would offer a health and lifestyle consultation to women at or around their 50th birthday.

The aim is to raise awareness and address the issues which affect women from menopause to old age.

Bradford Council, which employs almost 10,000 women aged over 50, has expressed an interest in taking part.

The health/lifestyle consultation, which would cover family and personal health history, current health status, the menopause, lifestyle factors and social activities, would be carried out by trained staff.

Pennell's chief executive Eva Lambert said: "Women of this age usually say they have a list of things they want to talk to their GP about.

"But when they see their GP, they end up talking about just one of the issues because they feel their GP is to busy.

"We want to provide a means of addressing all the issues in an holistic way and to try to help women to help themselves as much as possible.

"Pennell would like women to be given all the information they need on the health issues they face in middle and old age, together with advice on what they can do for themselves to make sure the next 30 years of their lives are still healthy."

Once completed, the plan is to go back to some of the women who took part to find out how they have benefited.

Bradford was identified as a good area to run the pilot because it could help some of women from ethnic minorities who do not normally use health services.

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