This is the government’s first Women’s Health Strategy for England and shows how the government will right these wrongs. It sets out how they will improve the way in which the health and care system listens to women’s voices, and boost health outcomes for women and girls. It takes a life course approach, focused on understanding the changing health and care needs of women and girls across their lives, from adolescents and young adults to later life.
Two issues that PCS will be focusing on as stated above are miscarriage and menopause. Miscarriage is a common complication of pregnancy and yet it remains a taboo subject, rarely discussed due to embarrassment, distress and even shame. Almost all women will experience menopause and menopause symptoms that can severely impact a woman’s quality of life. Due to these issues Nicola really wants you to feel supported at work. The PCS counsellor will also be working closely with Nicola to ensure that anyone who feels that they need to talk, can do so in a timely fashion and will not have to wait to access the counselling service. It is important that you feel listened to and have a voice for what you may be experiencing. The counsellor will contact everyone within 5 days of referral.
Within the Women’s Health Strategy it was highlighted that, Access to good occupational health services, mental health support, line manager training and workplace adjustments were perceived to be ways to create a working environment that is conducive to managing a health condition or maintaining good health at work – in addition to tackling stigmas and taboos around menstruation, menopause and gynaecological conditions – so that women feel able to speak up and access support.
Period poverty was also highlighted in the strategy. Nicola feels that no woman should have to live through this and PCS will offer all women free sanitary products. When visiting the office, feel free to access these.
Support for menopause in the workplace was also an important theme of the strategy, with many respondents and organisations describing a lack of support at work and a feeling that the menopause is a ‘taboo’ subject that cannot be talked about openly, which made management of symptoms even more difficult. No woman should feel alone during perimenopause and menopause. Whilst the strategy aims to reduce waiting times in NHS care for women and aims to ensure treatment and support, PCS really want you to feel that we too are going above and beyond to ensure that do not feel alone during this time.
The perimenopause and menopause bring with it much more than physical symptoms. We want you to feel that your mental health also matters which is why the counsellor is contactable and will be holding women’s groups which is something which is being worked on at the moment. Sharing is caring and having peer support is important. Watch out for developments within this area in the very near future.
