PFEW menopause guidelines will help us to help our colleagues better, says Fed Chair

OFFICERS who are going through the menopause can now be better supported thanks to new guidance from the Police Federation of England and Wales.

The guidelines, designed to help and advise individuals, line managers, senior leaders and occupational health advisors, will provide a welcome support to the whole service, Essex Police Federation Chair Steve Taylor said.

He said: “This is part of that wider welfare piece that says that it is no longer acceptable that people deal with mental health in the darkness, in the shadows, on their own. Equally, it acknowledges the effects that the menopause can have on women and on men. These effects need to be brought into the light, and this campaign is exactly what the subject needs.

“The menopause is something that we would all do well to be mindful of because for some of our colleagues it’s a very real position that they find themselves in. And the more we understand it, the better we are to help our colleagues through it and deal with it.

“So I welcome the work and I welcome the increased knowledge it gives into the menopause, and I hope it will be of use to colleagues that find themselves in difficult places.”

44% of officers surveyed said their symptoms had been so problematic that they had considered quitting the force as a result. And others said they would be too embarrassed to discuss symptoms with their line manager and believe they would be treated differently in a negative way if they did disclose, as it could be seen as a sign of weakness.

Hayley Aley, a women’s lead for PFEW, said: “Up until now there has only been anecdotal evidence on just how much the menopause affects officers and staff in the police service…This guidance will make a difference to so many and I sincerely hope this work paves the way for colleagues in the other emergency services.”

The National Menopause Guidance is available to download from www.polfed.org/menopause.