Project period: Improving period product provision in a large inner city hospital

Abstract

Background BMA guidance recommends all hospitals provide suitable, comfortable and convenient period products. In 2018, none of Scotland’s health boards had policies on sanitary product provision.Aim Establish current provision at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.Improve provision for staff and patients.Improve working experience for staff while menstruating.Methods Cycle 0: A pilot survey was circulated to assess current provision, availability and impact on working environment.Cycle 1: The survey was circulated to all hospital staff. Suppliers were contacted for donations. Two menstrual hubs were established in the medical receiving unit.Cycle 2: Polling confirmed the preferred mode of downstream product distribution, with products supplied to each ward. Menstrual hub use was monitored.Cycle 3: Staff were resurveyed following the interventions. Findings were presented to hospital and board managers.Results Cycle 0: 95% felt current provision for staff was not appropriate. 77% felt provisions were inappropriate for patients (n=22).Cycle 1: 97% felt hospital period product provisions were not appropriate. 84% of menstruators had no access to products when required: 55% asked colleagues for products; 50% used makeshift products and 8% used hospital pads. Overall, 84% did not know where to access period products within the hospital (n=968).Cycle 2: 91% preferred ward-based provisions (n=46).Cycle 3: 95% agreed that project period products were suitable for their needs (n=71). 82% felt access to period products had improved for personal use and 47% for patients. 58% were able to locate products for staff and 49% for patients.Conclusion Project period highlighted a need for menstrual product provision in hospitals. It increased knowledge, suitability and availability of period products, and created a robust model of provision which may be easily replicated.