Menopause breaks for women working at Cirencester Town Council

Symptoms women can experience include memory loss, anxiety, hot flushes, and insomnia

Extra breaks, time off for appointments and better ventilated desks are some of the benefits an employer is offering to women going through the menopause.

The Menopause Strategy was introduced to help female employees of Cirencester Town Council in Gloucestershire.

Mayor of Cirencester Claire Bloomer said: "It's been such a taboo subject for so long, not many women, even now, want to talk about it."

The council is running forums to try and roll the scheme out further.

Chief executive of the council Andrew Tubb said staff wellbeing was a priority for the council and believed it was important for male employees to understand the impact on women.

He said the scheme would help to "provide support... understanding, and the listening-ear needed".

The policy includes:

• Allowing women to take time off for appointments

• Giving extra breaks in the day to work around their symptoms

• More flexible working

• Work place assessments to allow women to sit in better ventilated desks and access to fans

• Additional mental health and emotional support

Ms Bloomer helped develop the strategy and is herself going through induced menopause because of a hysterectomy.

She said: "I'm quite an open person… and I have suffered quite badly.

"There are plenty of women who don't suffer and go through this absolutely fine and… I absolutely respect that but for me I've really really struggled with it," she added.

Ms Bloomer said she wanted this to be something people talked about and for "young people coming up to the age of 40, 50 to be ready and be aware of it and know they can talk to people".

She also referenced the stigma that can be associated with medication.

"There are so many rumours and I remember speaking to someone and saying I was on HRT and almost feeling a little ashamed," she said.

She said she wanted there to be more emphasis on the education of doctors because she felt some "don't have the in-depth training and the variation".

The policy was launched in November and the council said it has been very well received by both female and male employees

Trula Brunsdon, an employment specialist at Sherbornes Solicitors in Cheltenham, said there were benefits to employers as well as employees.

"When people have adjustments made to recognise any issues that they're going through I think it's logical that it would affect retention in the long run," she added.

Other councils in the West are also offering support to women going through the menopause and others wanting to learn about it.

Somerset County Council and Wiltshire Council run a Menopause Café and Bristol City Council have a Menopause Group supported through their health and wellness programme.

A similar menopause scheme is being rolled out at City Hall in London.