Menopause ticket for health staff, to make work easier

AN NHS trust has introduced a “menopause passport” to allow women to wear lighter uniforms and request fans to help alleviate symptoms.

The University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust, which employs 18,000 women, 5,000 of whom are aged over-50, said the system would provide practical support to employees.

Women at the trust who notify their manager that they are going through the menopause or perimenopause will be given a document explaining what training and support is available.

They can also fill out a symptom tracker and have a meeting with their manager about what adjustments can be made for them in the workplace.

Some adjustments the trust is offering include changes to the working environment, such as providing fans, wearing a lighter uniform or a change in working patterns.

For some women, the symptoms can be debilitating, including hot flushes, brain fog and difficulty sleeping.

Symptoms have driven one in eight women to quit their job, a poll found.