Menopausal women in NHS England workforce to be offered flexible working

Menopausal women working in NHS England will be able to work flexibly should they need to under new guidance.

Launching the first national NHS guidance on menopause, the NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, has called on other employers to follow suit to help “break the stigma”.

She said many employees were “silently suffering” and were either too embarrassed to broach the subject or experience a “lack of support” when they did.

No one should feel their only option is to “turn their back on their career” over menopausal symptoms, she added. “It’s our responsibility as leaders to ensure this doesn’t happen any longer.”

The guidance aims to boost awareness as well as support the introduction of practical measures including flexible working patterns – including lighter duties, fans to make temperatures more comfortable, cooler uniforms and staff training.

“Our guidance has been intentionally designed to be transferable to other workplaces too, so I hope organisations and women beyond the NHS can also benefit,” she said.

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Source: The Guardian, 23 November 2022