We worked together with other organisations across the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership to support our staff, raise awareness around menopause, and to stamp out the taboo and stigma that exists.

Menopause will affect or has already affected 178,724 women in our district during their lifetime (data from Wakefield Joint Strategic Needs Assessment). The majority of those who have experienced menopause (63%) said they had been negatively affected by it.

Menopause-related symptoms can be debilitating, and without support, many have no choice but to leave their roles.

In a late 2023 survey, 23% of working women aged 40 to 60 considered resigning due to the impact of the menopause.

At Nova, we believe people deserve better. As a sector, we can work towards creating a more supportive and inclusive working environment for everyone.

Our Operations Manager, Natalie, said "Nova’s commitment to this accreditation and the work that this entails demonstrates that we are serious about supporting people experiencing menopause, within our staff team and our membership."

What have we got in place

Here's a quick overview of some of the work we've done...

• Policies and Practices – we have a Menopause Policy that clearly sets out our commitment to supporting staff experiencing menopause, and integrates other policies/practices such as flexible working, reasonable adjustments and absence.
• Culture - our Board and Senior Team support menopause awareness and education. We have open conversations about menopause in the office and as part of our 1:1s with managers.
• Training - we regularly promote menopause training for managers, staff and our members. Our Community Mental Health Builder, Rachel, ran workshops on Supportive Leadership and Navigating Menopause after completing menopause advocate training!
• Facilities - we have equipment (such as fans) and supportive policies to make anyone experiencing menopause more comfortable at work, and encourage staff to ask for reasonable adjustments they need.
• Our Work - take a look at this case study of our Me and Menopause project that trained 10 local VCSE organisations to bring vital menopause support into communities across the district.

And we're not stopping here! We're going to continue to review and embed menopause support - and other support - into our workplace.

How can your organisation be menopause friendly?

We'd encourage you to start with some training for your team. We regularly advertise workshops on our Events and Training page, or we could run some training for your VCSE organisation - get in touch at events@nova-wd.org.uk

What is the Menopause Friendly Accreditation?

The Menopause Friendly Accreditation, established by Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace, recognises high standards and proven practices that embrace menopause in the workplace.

The Menopause Friendly Accreditation is industry-recognised and the only accreditation that sets clear standards which must be met, so it's truly meaningful and considered by many as a mark of excellence for menopause in the workplace.

In order to achieve The Menopause Friendly Accreditation, employers are assessed by an Independent Panel and must demonstrate evidence of their effectiveness in six key areas, namely: culture, policies and practices, training, engagement, facilities and evaluation.

West Yorkshire Integrated Care System (ICS) supported 14 organisations that were part of the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, these are:

• Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
• Bradford Council
• Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
• Locala
• Martin House Hospice
• Nova Wakefield District
• Prince of Wales Hospice - a Nova member!
• The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Wakefield Council
• Wakefield Hospice - another Nova member!
• West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
• Wharfedale, Airedale and Craven Alliance