Menopausal staff should get cooler uniforms, says NHS

MENOPAUSAL women should be offered cooler uniforms and fans at work, the head of the NHS has said.

Amanda Pritchard wants employers to take simple steps to ‘invest in the workforce’ to stop women leaving and allow them to ‘thrive’.

Launching the first NHS national guidance on menopause, Miss Pritchard told the Confederation of British Industry conference (CBI) in Birmingham that she hoped the health service would lead the way for other employers.

A fifth of the NHS workforce are women aged between 45 and 54, with up to 260,000 experiencing the menopause at work.

She urged all employers to support staff who have symptoms such as hot flushes with measures such as flexible working.

‘I want all those facing that transition in the NHS to have access to the right support to stay in and thrive at work,’ Miss Pritchard said.

‘While some local teams are already implementing initiatives to support women experiencing menopausal symptoms – simple steps like flexible working, fans to help with more comfortable temperatures, cooler uniforms and staff training – I want to see this happening right across the board.’

Women face symptoms such as anxiety, depression, poor concentration, brain fog, dizziness and insomnia while going through the menopause.

And six out of ten women experiencing menopausal symptoms say it has a negative impact on work, research suggests.