Mental health trust finalists for two menopause-friendly awards | News and events

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for two awards at the industry-recognised 2024 Menopause Friendly Employer Awards.

The trust is a finalist in the Best Engagement Approach and Best Peer-to-Peer Support categories and will join other menopause-friendly employers at the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards ceremony on Wednesday September 11 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.

The awards celebrate and recognise excellence among organisations and individuals going above and beyond to support menopause in the workplace.

TV and radio presenter Lisa Snowdon will host the ceremony, which will include 350 guests and hundreds joining via live link from across the country.

Staff wellbeing officer Jodie Millard, who has been instrumental in bringing menopause support to NSFT, said: “We have been working hard for the past year to introduce a suite of menopause help and support to NSFT, including peer support groups, manager training, menopause advocates and special online talks and events, linking up with our wider NHS colleagues locally.

“The feedback from staff has been incredible and we are delighted our efforts have been recognised nationally.”

NSFT communications officer Gay Webster, who has been working with Jodie on the programme, added: “We have had tears, laughter and so much honesty in our support groups and we have been so happy to be able to share knowledge and give staff the confidence to talk about the menopause to colleagues, family, managers and GPs.”

Now in its third year, the 2024 Menopause Friendly Employer Awards were judged by the Menopause Friendly Independent Panel who looked for both innovation and evidence of the impact and positive change achieved within the workplace.

The Best Engagement Approach Award will go to the organisation that has innovatively developed campaigns or initiatives to foster positive, creative and engaging perceptions of menopause in the workplace, integrating it into everyday working life.

The Best Peer-to-Peer Support Award will go to the organisation that has created the best approach to enable peer to peer support, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for conversations around menopause in the workplace.

NSFT’s menopause awareness work has been backed by executive sponsors Cath Byford (deputy CEO and chief people officer) and Jason Hollidge (chief finance officer).

Cath said: “The work which has been put in over the last year to bring menopause support to NSFT has been great to see. As a woman in the midst of these life changes, I am delighted to see that NSFT’s menopause awareness programme is making our organisation a safer, kinder and better place to work.”

Jason added: “Menopause awareness is everyone’s business. With 70% of our workforce women or assigned female at birth, we are all related to or know or work with people who are affected by symptoms, and we need to ensure we understand, advocate and support to make reasonable adjustments.”

NSFT has been working with the wider NHS system locally to share good practice. Lisa Parker, health and wellbeing lead with Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS), said: “We are working towards menopause accreditation status across the system locally, with Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust leading this work as an exemplar site.

“NSFT is an inspiration to other sites and has made great strides around supporting women going through the menopause. We are now working together to collaborate, share and standardise the menopause offer to staff across our system.”

To see all the categories and finalists of the 2024 Menopause Friendly Employer Awards visit: https://menopausefriendly.co.uk/awards/