The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board has re-launched its Menopause Clinic at the The James Cook University Hospital (Middlesbrough), taking strides in addressing the critical need for menopause support in the workplace. The clinic, building on the success of its pilot run last year, aims to provide vital assistance to female staff navigating the challenges of menopause.

The pilot clinic, held from February to June 2023, received high praise from the 33 women who attended, prompting the Trust to expand its offerings. The upcoming clinic, running from January to June 2024, will serve as a ‘proof of concept’ model, with two dedicated nurses enhancing their clinic skills to further improve the support provided. The Trust is committed to measuring the clinic’s impact, emphasising clinically based information, effective signposting, and essential resources. The ultimate goal is to empower staff to make informed decisions about symptom management and overall well-being during GP and nurse appointments.

Findings from the menopause clinic so far includes the following key statistics:

• 77% of the NHS workforce is female, and approximately 80% of these women experience problematic symptoms affecting their work.
• 25% report severe symptoms, while 69% grapple with anxiety or depression due to menopause.
• Sleep troubles afflict 84% of women in the workforce.
• Alarming statistics further reveal that 44% of women have seen their ability to work affected, with 61% admitting to a loss of motivation at work due to menopausal symptoms. A staggering 10% of women who worked during menopause left their jobs due to these symptoms.
• Despite these challenges, 80% of women state that their employers haven’t provided information, staff training, or implemented a menopause absence policy. Moreover, significant delays in diagnosis and treatment from General Practitioners have been reported.

To address these issues comprehensively, alongside the menopause clinic, NHS South Tees Foundation Trust has established a Menopause Community of Practice (COP). This forum will share experiences, highlight supported projects, and maintain oversight of the clinic’s progress. Six months of data will be analysed in June to demonstrate the clinic’s impact on attending staff.

The menopause clinic and COP will be further bolstered by the menopause champions training sessions. All wellbeing leads across the system are welcome to attend this. For further details and to join the community of practice, contact [email protected]

For more information on menopause support in the workplace, please visit our menopause page.

• Clinical Topic
• Quality Improvement
• Wellbeing