Effectiveness of menopause support for NHS staff to be reviewed

The University of Exeter’s The Impact of Menopause research project has appointed research fellow Dr Fatma Sabet, to undertake a review into the effectiveness of menopause support for healthcare professionals working in the NHS. 

In 2022, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) called on leaders and managers in the healthcare sector to consider adapting working environments to help women experiencing menopause continue to perform at their best for patients and stay in the workforce.

MPS’s survey of female healthcare workers in the UK revealed that 19% had considered early retirement due to menopause symptoms and the impact on their wellbeing.

Since then, interventions including NHS England guidelines, policies, menopause clinics, flexible working, cooler uniforms and training for staff have been introduced across the NHS, however the effectiveness of these measures is unknown.

Dr Fatma Sabet’s role in the research project, which is funded by the MPS Foundation, will develop an understanding of which interventions work, why and in what settings and set out recommendations for the most effective interventions.

The work will be supported by a project advisory group which includes senior leaders in the menopause field, healthcare professionals with experience of the menopause and those designing and providing support interventions.

Sabet was awarded a doctoral scholarship in 2019 and subsequent postdoctoral fellowships by the Economic and Social Research Council.

This enabled her to pursue a doctoral study that culminated in the creation of a planetary health framework for school food in England.