Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust will work alongside Henpicked, leaders in the area of menopause at work. The partnership will boost awareness of menopause and its impact in the workplace.
Henpicked’s presence will help create discussion about the impact of menopause and peri-menopause. The Trust hopes this will serve to help improve experiences of staff who reach menopause in their time at Gateshead.
The partnership’s arrival complements an ever-growing effort to establish and increase menopause awareness at Gateshead.
It also follows on from the formation of a menopause support group which has been active since 2020. The group meet monthly and also keep in touch through a group chat; a safe and understanding space to discuss menopause and peri-menopause.
Included within the partnership are menopause awareness sessions for both staff and managers. Both have taken place recently, helping mark the launch of the partnership. Sessions were well attended, with those who attended the first session sharing the feedback below.
Kerry Gowland, Health and Wellbeing Lead for NHS Gateshead said: “We’re delighted to team up with Henpicked to improve and increase the support available to our staff around menopause, and create a better understanding of its impact amongst the workforce.
“It’s vital that we support our team and all who experience menopause effectively, but we’re particularly pleased that this partnership extends over and above that and looks to educate and inform those who wouldn’t ever experience it, too.
“As we continue looking to normalise discussion of menopause and peri-menopause, and improve the experiences of those who go through it while they’re at Gateshead, we know the power in ensuring everyone is well-informed around the topic.
“We want to make menopause everybody’s business, not just those who are impacted by it, and this is a partnership that can help us work towards doing just that.”
The Trust would like to welcome Henpicked and look forward to working with the organisation throughout 2022. Already planned are further masterclasses, as well as training for ‘Menopause Champions’ in the Spring. Elsewhere, colleagues can already access further support materials over on the staff intranet. New resources are now available, alongside joining information for the Trust’s menopause support group.