The first ICS ‘Menopause Meet Up’ is taking place on Thursday 25 November between 12pm and 1:30pm.

As part of the brand new Menopause Offer launched by the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System (ICS), the session is the first in a series of events bringing women and men together to share their experiences of the menopause.

The session will be held both virtually and face-to-face at the Shropshire Education Conference Centre (SECC), Syndicate Room 9, at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, and at Halesfield 6, Room F. It will act as an informal peer support group where people are free to contribute to the conversation or simply listen to others talk about their experiences.

Registration for either the virtual or face-to-face meet up can be accessed here.

Offering support and information throughout the session will be Kate Trifunovic, Occupational Health Nurse, Joanne Ritchie, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as well as Dr Melanie Thompson, local GP. Attendees are encouraged to request topics of discussion and ask any questions they may have relating to the menopause.

Menopause Meet Ups will be held on a bi-monthly basis across the ICS and will help both women and men to open up and feel more confident speaking about their experiences. It will also help to banish any unhelpful myths, raise awareness of this important topic, and positively impact staff health and wellbeing levels.

Victoria Rankin, Executive Lead for People at the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS, said: “We need to stop seeing the menopause as an embarrassing topic to talk about and create a working environment which allows all our staff to feel comfortable and empowered to discuss the menopause and their health and wellbeing.

“We want these sessions, and the ICS Menopause Offer, to provide a supportive voice to those women experiencing the menopause and to help equip them to remain in the workplace and maintain a healthy work life balance.

“This is just the start of continued support for both women and men experiencing the impact of menopause and to raise awareness of an issue that affects so many of our health and care staff across the ICS.”

Menopause Meet Up

Date: Thursday 25 November 2021

Time: 12.00 - 1:30pm

Location: Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), Halesfield 6 and virtually.