Introduction to an integrated competence framework for health-care support workers and nurses working in menopause

The evolving role of the menopause nurse is essential to the provision of expert clinical care, and for the education of both patients and health-care professionals. The new Royal College of Nursing integrated competence framework for health-care support workers and nurses working in menopause has been developed to provide specialist guidance and can be used to ensure practice is safe, effective and accountable. It supports acknowledgement for knowledge, skills and competence in their daily roles whilst caring for women at the time of menopause. It aims to ensure consistent standards across all settings whilst increasing the effectiveness of menopause service provision. Using the competences will help nursing staff identify their own level of practice, career plan in a more structured way and pinpoint education and development needs. The framework is a dynamic document that will continuously evolve in light of changes in menopausal healthcare.