The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn (QEH) has committed to a new policy outlining Menopause support for its staff as part of its staff wellness programme.
QEH works with Brit-pop icon and Menopause campaigner Meg Mathews, who is the Trust’s Menopause Ambassador. Meg has worked to break the stigma around Menopause and empower women through her platforms.
QEH recently become the first NHS Trust in the country to state that it is a Menopause-Friendly employer in it job adverts, with the Trust outlining its support for employees at the point of application, and having a clear package of support in place. This includes training and awareness for managers and staff, a network of support through volunteer Menopause Champions, and a regular Menopause Clinic to bring support directly to staff going through the Menopause and their families.
77.6% of QEH’s workforce is female, and 12% of those are within the 45 – 50 age bracket. The Trust’s ambition is to become a national leader in the NHS for Menopause awareness and hopes to share its approach to inspire other organisations to follow.
The work around Menopause awareness is part of a wider corporate strategic priority to strengthen an open culture for staff and improve wellbeing support.
Caroline Shaw CBE, Chief Executive at QEH, said: “We’re passionate about making QEH an even better place to work which is why we have strengthened our staff engagement programme to ensure Team QEH feel listened to and supported. Going through the Menopause can be an uncomfortable time and experiencing it within the workplace is an additional challenge. Women of menopausal age may need specific considerations and being a Menopause-Friendly employer is about encouraging conversations about what an individual is going through which can reduce stress and improve the way colleagues feel about coming to work.”
Meg Mathews, Menopause Ambassador at QEH, said: “I personally struggled with 32 of the 34 symptoms from crippling anxiety to night sweats, foggy brain and osteoporosis. There were some days when I just couldn’t cope and my anxiety was so bad in the beginning that I couldn’t leave my house. I can’t imagine what it must be like for staff to experience that whilst working long shifts in a busy hospital. I recently became a Menopause Ambassador for QEH and I have been blown away by the team and the work they are doing to help women cope with the Menopause.”
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For further information, please contact communicationsqeh@qehkl.nhs.uk
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