A new project to improve menopause support in the East of England starts in Suffolk
Those involved say they want a person-centred approach to provide the best care and support.
A major new study has been launched to examine how nurses and midwives experiencing menopause can be better supported in the workplace across the East of England.
Researchers at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) have secured a national grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to lead the BOOST project, which stands for Building Occupational and Workplace Support for nurses and midwives working in health and social care during Menopause.
The 10-month project is one of just 16 funded nationally through the NIHR’s Work and Health Development Award. It will gather evidence and lived experiences to shape a future, larger programme aimed at developing tailored menopause support across healthcare settings.
“Menopause can significantly impact working life”
Louise McCarthy, Nursing Research Lead at NSFT and Co-Lead of BOOST, said the project will focus on what women need and what currently works.
“Menopause can have a significant impact on health, well-being and working life. The BOOST project aims to explore the lived experiences and views of nurses and midwives experiencing menopause in the workplace, with a focus on what works well and where improvements are needed with support offered by the workplace,” she said.
Speaking in an interview about the research, she added that the team wants to move beyond broad policies and look at support that reflects individual roles and symptoms.
“We want to be able to produce something… tailored to the individual,” she said. “For example, I work from home quite a lot in front of a screen, so my needs are very different to somebody who’s working a 12-hour shift in a busy A&E department.
“What’s happening for the person at work is as important as their symptoms. So looking at support that’s tailored to individuals and their individual symptoms and their individual roles – that's how I see what will come in the future.”
“We shouldn’t be doing research to women, we should be doing research with them”
Professor Camille Cronin, Co-Lead of BOOST and an independent consultant in nursing, said a key aim is ensuring women’s voices shape the project from the start.
“BOOST for me is about working in partnership and having this nurse-led project. It’s quite a big thing,” she said.
“Menopause research is a growing area, but what we want ultimately is to ensure the woman’s voice is heard… We don’t do research – we shouldn’t be doing research – to women. We should be doing research with them.”
Professor Cronin said this means speaking to people experiencing symptoms before designing the next phase of the project.
“If I was looking at hot flushes or sleep, have I spoken to the people who experience those issues before the start of the project, included them in the design, and what would be the right way to do that before I go and collect the data?” she said.
She added that many women are now working through menopause for longer, and that accessible, tailored support “could make things just that little bit better, a bit more comfortable”.
“We want people to be more comfortable at work and not be fearful,” she said.
Award-winning support already in place
NSFT’s Chief Nurse, Anthony Deery, said the Trust’s existing menopause support programme shows the value of investing in staff wellbeing.
“More than 70% of our workforce at NSFT are women so our menopause support has been crucial,” he said.
“The Women’s Network and our wellbeing team have worked really hard over the last three years… leading up to being named Menopause and Menstruation Friendly Employer of the Year for 2025.”
He said the BOOST project could help more NHS organisations recognise the importance of workplace support in retaining experienced staff.
What happens next?
During this preparatory phase, BOOST will gather insight from nurses and midwives across:
- Acute hospital trusts
- Community health providers
- Ambulance services
- Mental health trusts
- University partners
The project is being delivered with partner organisations including Cambridge Community Services, the East of England Ambulance Service, Essex Partnerships University Hospital Foundation Trust, Hertfordshire Partnerships University Hospital Foundation Trust, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust, Norfolk Community and Health Care, West Suffolk Foundation Trust, and the University of East Anglia.
Findings will be used to design the next stage: a full programme developing new, specialised workplace support for menopause across the wider health and social care workforce.
Information about the project is available via NSFT’s website under Research or by emailing [email protected]
This study is funded by the NIHR (Work and Health Research Initiative NIHR209883). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.