Did you hear the good news? South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is now officially a menopause friendly employer.
You might ask what does this mean for colleagues who work for the trust? It means all staff are able to access menopause training, support and guidance.
Being a menopause friendly employer also means that we have been recognised by an independent panel as having in place a culture of support for our colleagues, sufficient and reliable training and evidence of ongoing sustainable help for those colleagues who need it.
Supporting staff
It also shows the trust has created an environment where menopause can be spoken about easily.
As part of this the trust has introduced awareness training for staff; including sessions for our male colleagues and a Women-o-Pause support group, which is a safe space for female colleagues to share experiences with expert guest speakers who discuss different subjects each month relating to menopause.
A specific menopause policy (G187) is now in place across the trust too.
Following the accreditation, Sharon Ollivier, training and development lead, was invited to showcase their work at the Women and Equalities Committee at the Houses of Parliament to inform on a national scale about how menopausal women can be better
supported in the workplace.
I felt extremely privileged to be asked to talk at the House of Commons on behalf of the trust to be able to share how we work together to support our colleagues and raise awareness about a very natural transition that occurs to all women.”
Sharon Ollivier
Julia Frost, training advisor said: “We’re delighted to have gained this accreditation; we’re extremely committed to colleagues’ wellbeing and are here to support those going
through menopause.
“Menopause is something we all need to understand, a subject we should all feel comfortable discussing at work. The more awareness we have the better we can support our colleagues, friends and family.
“We’re looking to expand our support across the community sites and we can offer bite size bespoke training where required.
“We are also looking for menopause champions to support Sharon and I. If anyone is interested please get in touch to have a chat about what would be involved.”
If you would like more information about menopause and the support available please visit the wellbeing section and check out the STRIVE Events website for course bookings.