Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 02 November 2021
I thank Collette Stevenson for bringing this important issue to the chamber.
On behalf of Scottish Labour, I welcome world menopause day, which was marked on 18 October. It is vital that we take time to recognise the importance of raising awareness of the menopause and how it can impact women’s health and their day-to-day life, and—crucially—to highlight what we can do to tackle the stigma that still surrounds the menopause.
As the motion states, around 400,000 women in Scotland today are of menopausal age, and most of them will experience symptoms that are wide ranging and often distressing. Our role in the Scottish Parliament is to ensure that their experiences are not stigmatised, but are spoken about openly and freely, and that adequate support is put in place to support them in all aspects of society—at home, in public places and in the workplace.
My call for such support to be put in place is addressed not only to councils, the Scottish Government and places where support can be offered to women with relative ease. Although interventions such as the excellent policy brought forward by Collette Stevenson that we heard about earlier, are very welcome, I also call for support for every woman up and down the country who experiences menopause symptoms, including women who work in industries where a path to securing such protections may not be clear and for those who do not feel comfortable going to their employer to discuss such concerns.
It is important to discuss Scotland’s significant health inequalities and how they link, and will continue to link, to women’s experiences of the menopause. The motion states—correctly—that employers should be flexible with women who feel that their ability to work has been impacted by symptoms linked to the menopause, and that they should be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace. That must mean a minimal expectation of allowing flexible and/or home working and of giving time off where necessary.
As we have heard, in recent years, we have made significant progress in improving provision relating to women’s health in Scotland’s workplaces. However, we can still go further, including by being more open in our discussions about the menopause and offering greater levels of protection than already exist.
In Scotland in 2021, we must accept that we fall way below the standards when it comes to addressing health inequalities. Time and again, it is the poorest in our communities who suffer the consequences of inaction—those with low incomes and debt and those who, at this time of year, have to make the incredibly difficult choice between feeding themselves and their families or heating their homes.
The health inequalities in our country are one of our greatest challenges. Women in low-paid and precarious employment may want to take time to attend their GP or a primary care service relating to the menopause, but they simply cannot afford to do so. Those who are working in male-dominated sectors might want to explain their difficulties to employers, but do not feel comfortable doing so. In the worst cases, those who have the most severe symptoms might want to take time off work but either cannot afford to do so or do not feel that there is adequate support to do so.
Decisively resolving those issues is within the power of the Scottish Parliament. Inequalities in health, particularly in employment practices more widely, do not reflect the Scotland that we want to live in. However, that is the Scotland in which ordinary people struggle through and live. We must do all that we can to bring health solutions closer to home so that those who need them most, such as women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms, can get relief and support without having to visit a hospital or go to the GP continuously. That starts with addressing stigma about women’s health, tackling health inequalities more widely, and ensuring that workplaces are suitable for the needs of such women.
We must push on with increased purpose to create a just and compassionate society that recognises that, for generations, women have largely been left to struggle needlessly, and that that must change. As we have heard tonight, it has to change now.
17:35