Celebrating International Women's Day

Today, we are celebrating International Women’s Day across our sites, recognising the outstanding contribution that women make in our health board and our communities.

We know that dealing with the symptoms of menopause is an issue for so many women. This year, we have made substantial developments the services and care we provide to women as they go through the menopause. Here is a quick snap shot of how we are improving care and support.

Menopause Helpline
With thanks to the efforts of our primary care and menopause teams, we are now operating a Menopause Advice helpline which had led to seamless communication between healthcare professionals and menopause service clinicians. This initiative ensures prompt advice within a two-week timeframe, bypassing referrals and prolonged waiting periods.

Specialist Nurse
We are appointed a menopause nurse specialist, a significant step toward our vision of supporting staff development and establishing a broader menopause service in the future.

Video Group Consultations
Later this month, our Women and Child's Health team will launch video group consultations. Patient and staff input have helped us shape the video group clinics through focus groups and trial clinics. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with both patients and staff eagerly anticipating the introduction of this initiative.

Menopause and Lifestyle Improvement (MALI)
MALI will be an eight-week programme crafted and delivered by a menopause specialist, lifestyle medicine GP, clinical psychologist, and supported by health coaches. The programme will integrate the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine principles with evidence-based menopause content, creating a holistic space for health improvement, social connection and empowerment among MALI participants.

Community Outreach
Passionate about equality and inclusivity, the menopause service team recognises the challenges that ethnic minority communities can face when accessing healthcare. We have reached out to Valleys Ethnic Minority Support (VEMS) to explore how we can develop and enhance our service, increasing its appeal and support to women of all ages, cultures and ethnicities.

CTM Colleagues
Our commitment to supporting women in the workplace extends to staff, as we strengthen connections with the occupational health team, streamlining access for CTMUHB employees seeking Menopause health advice and support. The next exciting project in the pipeline is to plan dedicated staff video groups consultations alongside the one-to-one occupational health referrals giving staff choice and flexibility of access to menopause care at work.

08/03/2024