With the majority of our workforce being female – and many others having female partners – the menopause will affect most of us at some point in our lives. We want to normalise conversations about the menopause to raise awareness and ensure colleagues are supported through this important stage in their lives.
NHS Employers launched a really good resource page for staff and if you are not already aware of how important menopause is then we urge you to find out.
It is important for it to be a part of the health and wellbeing discussions with so many colleagues across the Trust.
Here is the link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/retention-and-staff-experience/health-and-wellbeing/taking-a-targeted-approach/taking-a-targeted-approach/menopause-in-the-workplace
Menopause is a subject that is being looked at in the Trust’s Gender Steering Group. If you’d like to join the group, then please contact Clare Meredith at clare.meredith3@nhs.net.
One of our fantastic Medical Secretaries, Geraldine Holmes, has shared her own experience of menopause and offers her own advice to colleagues experiencing the same:
My Journey so far
My name is Geraldine Holmes and I work as a Medical Secretary for the Dementia Rapid Response Team based i
n Chesterfield.
I was medically induced into menopause nearly 10 years ago and was given HRT automatically and for four years this kept the symptoms at bay. I felt like I was getting away with the whole process, how wrong I was to assume I would be so lucky…
After much reading and research I now understand a lot more of what has happened and is still happening to my body and feel more in control of my menopause. This has been a long road and yes the menopause has taken its toll on my body, some of which is irreversible, but I have come to terms with this. I am trying to live my life as healthily as possible in order to come out the other side fighting.
My top tips for any women experiencing perimenopause and menopause would be:
- Do your research and read as much as you can about menopause and how it affects us. Knowledge is your best friend and going to your GP armed with this will allow you to be more in control of your care and not be an emotional wreck every time you have an appointment
- Where possible attend a specialist menopause clinic where you will receive specialist care from people who are happy to listen and offer the most up-to-date advice, and if possible make an appointment with specialist menopause GP (although this will incur a cost)
- Look after your gum and bone health always. I cannot stress enough how important this is
- Connect with other women going through the same, talk about it, be open with your husband/partner and try to encourage them to educate themselves about it so they can support you as much as possible
- Eat as healthily as possible; learn more awareness about alcohol during menopause; look after your sleep hygiene; take gentle exercise (if possible)
- Talk, connect and communicate, be kind to others; you never know their story
- Remember this is something almost all women will go through; it is inevitable one way or another and although each menopause journey will be different, the experience will connect us in one way or another, so reach out, don’t let menopause remain in the dark.
AND REMEMBER - BE KIND TO YOURSELF
