NHS uniforms too hot and sweaty for menopausal staff

NHS uniforms should be made sweatproof because they are too hot for menopausal medics, a union has said.

Unison is calling for urgent changes to the outfits worn by health service workers, saying they are too thick, sweaty and uncomfortable for women going through the menopause.

Delegates at Unison’s annual National Women’s Conference, which opens in Brighton today, will be asked to back a motion calling for uniforms that do not reveal sweat patches, as well as uniforms made of lighter cotton for staff struggling with menopause symptoms, especially in hot weather.

Women make up 77 per cent of the NHS workforce, while around a third of all NHS staff are over the age of 50. An estimated 260,000 NHS workers are women aged between 45 and 54.

Menopause symptoms typically occur in the mid-40s and early-50s and can include hot flushes, sweating, muscle aches and anxiety.

Proposing the motion, Unison members said: “There is a lack of adequate facilities and lack of menopause aware- ness across the NHS. Uniforms are just one example demonstrating this.

“They are made of thick heavy cotton which is uncomfortable, rough and unpleasant in the best conditions. With the removal of fans and air circulation units on wards, the extreme heat, coupled with hot flashes and an added layer of PPE, is unbearable.”

In 2022, Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of the NHS, urged trusts to introduce cooler uniforms, flexible working patterns and fans to assist staff going through the menopause.

NHS guidance says hospitals should consider whether uniforms are made from “suitable, breathable fabrics” and whether there are “extra uniforms/garments available if needed”.

But speaking ahead of the conference, Josie Irwin, the head of equality at Unison, said some trusts were “still in the dark ages”.

“The overwhelming majority of staff in the NHS are women Although there are examples of NHS trusts with good menopause policies, unfortunately some are still stuck in the dark ages.”