NHS Trusts responds to menopause support criticism saying 'plans are underway'

New research has revealed just 40% of NHS Trusts in the West Midlands have a policy in place to support staff going through the menopause

NHS Trusts in the West Midlands have responded to criticism they are 'failing' menopausal staff - saying 'plans are underway' to better support female staff. A number of local Trusts revealed plans to bring in measures to support staff going through the menopause after it was revealed less than half in the West Midlands currently had policies in place.

Research collected by law firm Lime Solicitors found that just 40 per cent of NHS Trusts in the region had a menopause police, compared to 57 per cent nationally. Lime Solicitors accused the NHS of 'failing' staff and called for more support for menopausal women.

More than 60,000 women a year are off sick due to symptoms of the menopause. Symptoms of the menopause include hot flushes, low mood, bladder problems among other symptoms.

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Lime Solicitors identified eight NHS Trusts in the West Midlands that lacked a policy in place to support menopausal women. They included:

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust was one local Trust identified by Lime Solicitors as not having a policy in place to support menopausal staff. When approached, a spokersperson for the Trust said: "The health and wellbeing of our staff is a top priority for the Trust, and we have a wealth of resources available to support colleagues with menopausal symptoms.

“These include a Menopause Telephone Helpline provided by Vivup (our Employee Assistance Programme provider), launched in July this year and available 24/7 for any employee to book a one-off menopause assessment with a specialist menopause clinician. We have a successful Menopause Support Group for colleagues going through any stage of the menopause and, over the past 18 months, we have worked closely with Dr Sarah Hattam, a GP and menopause expert, who has delivered workshops on a variety of themes.

"In the coming weeks we plan to launch Me and My Menopause, an evidence-based tool that will provide colleagues with easy to navigate resources and a personalised action plan to help them manage their menopause journey. And we also anticipate that, subject to approval, we will launch a new menopause policy in line with World Menopause Day on 18^th October."

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was also criticised for not having a menopause policy in place. A spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring Black Country Healthcare is an inclusive place to work, where the health and wellbeing of our staff is prioritised. We want to ensure all staff across the organisation are aware of how to support colleagues who are experiencing menopause symptoms, so we have a put on a range of support to provide advice and guidance.

“For example, we have a system-wide ICB menopause guide for all staff to use, as well as having hosted a number of webinars from a menopause specialist for staff to watch. Alongside this, our committed health and wellbeing team host a monthly virtual menopause café which are open to and well attended by staff to share their menopause stories and questions in a supportive environment.

“We are also proud to have trained 17 dedicated menopause champions who offer one to one support to any staff who request it. Our champions are passionate about supporting colleagues and provide a listening ear and support where possible, as well as signposting to reputable sources. For World Menopause Day last year we held a dedicated event which included the attendance of a specialist nurse to support staff through the journey of menopause.

“In addition, all staff should have wellbeing conversations as part of their appraisal where information and guidance on menopause can be discussed. We also have dedicated online resources for staff to access. The menopause champions are working on further support for our staff, in particular with a focus on supporting managers which will be launched later this year, so everyone has a chance to thrive and be happy at work, to provide the best possible care for our patients.”

Wye Valley NHS Trust

Responding to criticism, the Wye Valley Trust said: "The Trust has put in place a number of measures to support staff, which includes raising awareness of symptoms of the menopause, how to access support, making adjustments for staff in the work place, health and wellbeing sessions specific to the menopause, and further plans are underway to ensure staff feel supported at work."

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Ali Koeltgen, Chief People Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We acknowledge the impact that menopause can have on the working lives of staff and we are committed to making all staff aware of the support available. We launched our Menopause Guide and Toolkit, as well as a wider package of support for staff, on World Menopause Day 2022, in partnership with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity.

“We have also signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge. This means we are committed to recognising that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and our staff need support; talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause; and actively supporting employees affected by the menopause.

“Working in partnership with Bourne 2 Care we run a series of regular workshops and information sessions with a menopause nurse specialist to support staff with their menopause journey - this includes sessions on perimenopause, menstrual cycle, psychological and physical effects of menopause and treatments for menopause symptoms.

“The Trust also actively encourages staff to access the free Balance app to track symptoms and access personalised expert content. We continue to develop our menopause support offer for staff and we are currently exploring training Menopause Champions across the Trust and delivering a training session on neurodiversity and menopause.”

The Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust were also identified by Lime Solicitors as Trusts which did not have a menopause policy. The Trusts were each approached for comment.