New menopause clinic for Shropshire NHS staff thanks to near £50k grant
A NHS charity in Shropshire has received almost £50,000 to establish and run a doctor-led menopause clinic for staff.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Charity (SaTH Charity) has been awarded £48,965 by NHS Charities Together and NHS England to support staff wellbeing.
The clinic will help staff during perimenopause and menopause so they can continue to provide the high-quality care for patients.
Staff will first access general menopause information through recorded sessions before joining a group consultation. Where needed, one-to-one appointments will be available with a prescribing nurse, a GP specialising in menopause and lifestyle medicine, or a specialist consultant for more complex cases.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) said the group format is designed to help staff connect with colleagues experiencing similar symptoms.
Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation at SaTH, said: "We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together and NHS England for this funding. It is so important to have a happy and healthy workforce and to keep colleagues in the workplace.
"The menopause clinic will mean we can provide support to colleagues who may be struggling. It affects us all differently and we cannot underestimate how life changing it can be."
The grant is part of an £11 million national programme and one of 29 projects across England chosen to support NHS staff health and wellbeing.
Research by NHS Charities Together shows that 47 per cent of NHS staff say their job negatively affects their mental health and 41 per cent their physical health.
Ellie Orton, CEO, NHS Charities Together, addded: "Many NHS staff feel that theirs is the best job in the world, but these roles come with a tremendous responsibility for the lives they care for, and at a time of incredible pressure on health services, this takes a toll on their mental and physical wellbeing.
"In the face of so many wider healthcare challenges it can be easy to forget about healthcare staff, but it goes without saying that we need a healthy workforce if we want a thriving NHS that can give patients the care they need.
"This funding means NHS charities like SaTH Charity can help ensure NHS staff prioritise their own health and wellness with the same care they give to patients, and we are delighted we can support this important work."
