Members from University Hospital Wishaw’s menopause support group took time at their recent monthly meeting to celebrate the group’s first anniversary.
The group was set up in September 2022 by neonatal nurse educator Michelle Brooks following her own personal experience of premature menopause. Motivated by the limited information available at the time, Michelle formed the group to raise awareness and provide information and support to other women through sharing lived experiences and peer support.
Michelle said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their ongoing support, especially to the secretaries within maternity services, staff within the sanctuary, the guys from the mail room as well as the specialist speakers as, without them, the group wouldn’t be such a success”.
Michelle is in discussions with University Hospitals Monklands and Hairmyres wellbeing groups, as well as various NHS and non-NHS community groups to facilitate the establishment of additional menopause support groups. The long-term vision is for meetings to run in all three NHS Lanarkshire acute sites and in the community on different evenings to give staff the flexibility to access support wherever and whenever is most suitable for them.
If you would like more information on the group, please email Michelle at michelle.brooks@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Support available
- Menopause at Work Policy
https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/download/menopause-at-work-policy/ - The Talking Rooms – confidential counselling service
0800 138 9150
https://www.thetalkingrooms.com/self-referral/ - National Wellbeing Hub – access to advice, information and resources to support staff
0800 111 4191
24 hours a day, seven days a week
https://wellbeinghub.scot/ - Staff Care and Wellbeing – the staff care and wellbeing service seeks to build resilience and enhance wellbeing
24-hour staff care helpline (01698 752000) and self/team referrals
Home – Staff Care and Wellbeing
October is Menopause Awareness Month and today (Wednesday 18 October) is Menopause Awareness Day.
To mark World Menopause Day, the British Menopause Society will launch its news-style programme – hosted by Louise Minchin – where medical professionals will dispel menopause misinformation, talk to businesses about best-practice menopause policies and provide information and practical menopause advice for younger women.
For more information, visit: https://thebms.org.uk/publications/world-menopause-day-2023/
