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How a menopause café is supporting nurses at work

Senior nurse Tara Iles, who set up the initiative, wanted nursing and other healthcare staff to have a safe space to talk about this sensitive topic
Senior nurse Tara Iles (second from left) with staff at the Southmead Hospital menopause café in Bristol

Senior nurse Tara Iles, who set up the initiative, wanted nursing and other healthcare staff to have a safe space to talk about this sensitive topic

Senior nurse Tara Iles (second from left) with staff at the Southmead Hospital menopause café in Bristol
Senior nurse Tara Iles (second from left) joins staff at the Southmead Hospital menopause café in Bristol

A senior nurse who set up a menopause café at work said there is a need for similar initiatives to be rolled out across the NHS.

Deputy divisional director of nursing at North Bristol NHS Trust Tara Iles told Nursing Standard she was ‘bowled over’ by the reaction of nurses and other healthcare staff after she started the initiative at Southmead Hospital in December.

Staff ‘were emotional’ about opportunity to talk

Ms Iles wanted staff to have a safe space to talk about the sensitive topic and feel confident in speaking about it to patients.

‘I come from a large Irish Catholic family and we just didn’t talk about these things. I found parallels, especially with our staff from ethnic minority backgrounds,’ Ms Iles said. ‘They were emotional about having the opportunity to talk about this and keen to have the space to do so.’

Removing embarrassment or shame about menopause

Speaking about a wider roll-out of the initiative, she said it was important to first normalise the menopause in the workplace.

‘I have no doubt that there’s a need for this more widely,’ she said. ‘Let’s talk about it more so people aren’t embarrassed and having to make excuses or feel ashamed. We want our staff to be as fit and well as they can while they’re working.’

How to set up a menopause café in your workplace

  • Get your manager’s support
  • Pitch it as a win-win situation; staff are being supported to be the best they can be at work
  • Once set up, rotate the day and time for maximum attendance
  • Get your organisation’s communications team involved to spread the message

Space for nurses to share personal experiences of the menopause

Many nurses attend the café because they have an interest in women’s health and want to learn more about the menopause, while others want a space to share personal experiences.

Ms Iles, who is also a clinical nurse fellow at NHS England, urged colleagues to be compassionate with those going through menopause, adding that managers should try to be flexible with shift patterns and uniforms.

‘It’s important to think before having certain conversations – for example, asking someone why they’re wearing black trousers instead of light blue. Just respect there will be a reason,’ she said.

Ms Iles added that she wanted younger nurses to have the knowledge to manage early or premature menopause, which affects women aged 45 and under.

What to do if you’re going through menopause at work: Tara Iles’ top tips

  • Talk to your manager and be honest about how you’re feeling
  • Keep a diary of symptoms
  • Utilise all the support you can access, such as the Balance app
  • Look after yourself – take breaks, eat regularly and drink plenty of water
  • Try and negotiate your shift patterns
  • Rest when you need to

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