Roughly 9,500 of NHS Grampian employees are women, all of whom will experience the menopause. There are also currently over 2,500 women employees aged between 45 - 54, which is almost 28% of the NHS Grampian female workforce.

For many women, menopause causes a great deal of stress, and being at work can make it worse.

Although it is rarely discussed at work, the menopause is a natural stage of life that millions of women workers are either going through now or will experience in the future. The menopause is marked by changes in the hormones and the ending of menstruation (when a woman’s periods stop for 12 consecutive months). For most women it happens between the ages of 45 and 55, although a minority of women experience it in their 30s or earlier. In the UK the average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 52. During the period before the menopause (perimenopause) these changes lead to menstrual irregularities. Symptoms associated with the menopause include hot flushes, palpitations, night sweats and sleep disturbance, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, mood disturbance, skin irritation and dryness. Overall, this period of hormonal change and associated symptoms can last from four to eight years. The menopause can lead to changes in a women’s health and may also lead to emotional changes. These can affect how a woman does her work and her relationship with her colleagues. Unfortunately there is often very little understanding of the issues and very little support for women who are going through the menopause.

 

For further information and advice on the Menopause visit our information sections below: