Guest blog by Victoria Howell
My menopause journey was that of many women; I had no idea what was happening, my confidence dipped dramatically, and I felt so alone, despite being surrounded by a loving family.
When I faced redundancy, I saw it as an opportunity to train in menopause - I did not want women to feel unsupported and alone; I wanted them to know that support is available. I trained with the British Menopause Society, Primary Care Women’s Health Forum and BSSVD. Prior to redundancy I was already an NHS Leadership Academy qualified Coach Mentor. This enabled me to use a combination of clinical and coaching strategies to support women clinically and in the workplace.
Then, Charlotte Andrews, Associate Director for Learning and Wellbeing from Kingston and Richmond NHS FT, reached out to me about working together on growing menopause support in the organisation. What began as a single educational session has blossomed into a Staff Menopause Clinic, going strong following its launch in 2022. In that time, over 230 individuals have used the service. Charlotte introduced menopause as a reason for sickness on the absence reporting system, allowing real data to be captured.
I provide two staff menopause clinics each month. Staff complete a pre-assessment questionnaire, which allows me to “get to know them,” freeing up the hour-long consultation for individuals to speak openly, in a safe, non-judgmental environment about their main concerns and symptoms.
I share resources, templates, and evidence-based fact sheets to maintain support post-consultation. All staff receive a confidential summary (not shared with their workplace), which can be shared with their GP and/or workplace if they wish. We offer menopause consultation reviews which are great for individuals to touch base on how they currently feel, and if they have further questions or queries about HRT. We also provide workshops on genitourinary syndrome of menopause and sexual health, sessions for team leads/managers and general menopause awareness.
I love seeing the positive impact consultations have on people. Often when I first see someone, they believe they are the only person experiencing certain symptoms, thoughts, or feelings. When they realise many other individuals are going through the same, that can feel like a heavy weight removed from their shoulders. People report feeling hopeful, informed and empowered to navigate their menopause journeys following a consultation.
Last year, two of my programmes, the Managers Menopause Training and Menopause Champion training, gained CPD Register accreditation. Kingston and Richmond NHS FT embraced this, and we had the first cohort complete their training in February of this year (pictured above).
It was a delight to work with so many committed, dedicated, caring individuals, with a shared purpose to support women and the workplace through menopause. We are excited about the forthcoming launch within the Trust, so anyone concerned about symptoms, or wondering what menopause looks like, can access menopause champions to support them in the workplace.
The menopause clinic has resulted in menopause no longer being viewed as a taboo subject, with staff feeling empowered to have open conversations and take control of their menopause journey.
Victoria Howell RGN, BSc,
PgCert Healthcare Leadership,
Coach Mentor