Menstrual Health in Practice
From awareness to action
Applied menstrual health literacy, training and implementation support for organisations
Menstrual health is not a niche wellbeing topic
It is now recognised as a health equity, inclusion and participation issue - affecting how people learn, work, access care and move through the world
I help organisations understand where menstrual health already affects their people, culture, policies and services and respond with practical, proportionate support
Menstrual health is already showing up in the workplace.
So the question is no longer whether employers should address it, but rather - how they do it.
Menstrual health is relevant to 51% of the population.
Roughly 13 million people are currently going through perimenopause or menopause, Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women and 69% of people say that menstruation symptoms negatively affect them at work.
Yet, only 11% of UK employers have a dedicated menstrual health policy, 67% said no support is available, and only 16% of HR professionals say managers are equipped to support menstrual health issues at work.
Menstrual health affects energy, pain, mood, sleep, confidence, attendance, participation and capacity. It can also intersect with disability, mental health, menopause, neurodivergence, trauma, LGBTQ+ experience and access to healthcare.
For organisations, this is not only about staff wellbeing. It connects to inclusion, equity, retention, culture, policy, manager confidence and sustainable participation.
Women’s health, menstrual health and gynaecological conditions are increasingly being recognised within NHS and government reform.
Employers now have BSI guidance on menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace.
Education is changing too, with updated statutory RSHE guidance from September 2026 giving menstrual and gynaecological health a clearer place in health education.
Staff expectations around wellbeing, inclusion and flexibility are developing in line with this.
Why now?
The landscape has already shifted.
Organisations acting now are not being niche. They are responding to where workplace wellbeing and inclusion are already going.
The opportunity now is to understand what menstrual health means in your context — for your people, your culture, your services and your responsibilities.
How I support organisations
The right approach depends on where your organisation is now. These offers can stand alone or build on each other - from awareness and leadership briefings through to manager training, policy support and implementation planning.
The aim is practical, proportionate support that fits your people, culture and capacity, while moving the work forward meaningfully.
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Menstrual Health at Work: From Awareness to Action
For organisations starting the conversation or building shared understanding across staff teams, networks or wellbeing programmes.
Purpose: to help staff understand menstrual health as a workplace, wellbeing and inclusion issue, and create a confident starting point for practical action.
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For senior leaders, HR, EDI leads, trustees and decision-makers.
Purpose: to support leaders to make informed, proportionate decisions about menstrual health - aligning staff needs, organisational capacity, policy, culture and practical implementation.
For organisations where menstrual health has relevance beyond internal staff wellbeing, this can include a tailored briefing on wider sector impact - such as education, young people, public health, community services, inclusion or social justice missions.
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For line managers, HR teams, EDI leads, wellbeing leads and people managers.
Purpose: to help managers and HR teams respond to menstrual health with confidence, care and consistency - supporting staff well while staying clear on boundaries, responsibilities and next steps.
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Policy, guidance and recommendations for meaningful support
For organisations asking: what should we have in place?
This may include reviewing current policies and practice, identifying gaps, gathering proportionate staff insight, and developing recommendations, guidance or a draft menstrual health policy.
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A paced package of support to embed menstrual health in everyday practice.
For organisations asking: how do we make this work properly?
This may include implementation planning, leadership or manager alignment, staff resources, internal communications, training, rollout support and review points.
Pricing and Considerations
Pricing is scaled according to organisational size, income, complexity, reach, budget and the level of staff involvement or implementation support required.
Larger organisations, public bodies and corporates pay higher rates, helping make lower-cost and community-based menstrual health education possible.
Typical starting points:
Awareness sessions from £350
Leadership briefings from £650
Manager / HR training from £750
Policy and practice reviews from £1,250
Implementation support from £2,500
Policy and implementation are connected, but they are not the same
Policy and Practice Review focuses on what should be in place: reviewing current practice, identifying gaps, and developing recommendations, guidance or policy.
Implementation Support focuses on how that work is embedded: training, resources, communications, rollout, review and sustainable practice.
Some organisations need a short leadership briefing before deciding what to do. Others are ready for policy development or implementation support. The right route can be agreed through a scoping call.
About Paige
Paige Hughes is a Certified Menstrual Practitioner (IPHM, IICT), menstrual health strategist, wellbeing consultant and EDI trainer working across applied menstrual health literacy, workplace implementation, community practice and systems change.
With over 13 years’ experience across the charity, education, wellbeing and public sectors, Paige brings together lived experience of Stage 4 Endometriosis, 1:1 and community menstrual health practice, senior organisational experience, and a strong grounding in health inequalities and systems change. She holds a BA in Politics and an MSc specialising in environmental psychology and wellbeing.
Her wider experience includes research and insight projects spanning health inequalities, housing, youth voice, community wellbeing and systems change, alongside work with organisations including the MS Society, One Manchester, Sheffield Futures, Proud Changemakers, Versus Arthritis, Charity Comms, Black Equity Organisation and the University of Leeds.
Paige helps organisations understand menstrual health as an issue of wellbeing, equity, participation and sustainable work — supporting teams to move from awareness into practical, inclusive action.
My Approach
My approach is evidence-informed, trauma-aware, inclusive and practical — grounded in lived experience and community practice, with a clear focus on systems change and implementation.
Evidence-informed: grounded in research, policy, workplace guidance and lived experience.
Trauma-aware: careful with pain, shame, medical dismissal, identity, fertility and disclosure.
Inclusive and affirmative: recognising sex-based health inequalities while supporting everyone affected by menstrual health.
Practical and implementation-focused: moving beyond awareness into guidance, confidence, policy and action.
Community-rooted and systems-focused: grounded in real lives while addressing the structures that shape health, work and participation.
Work with me
A good place to start is a 30-minute scoping call.
We can discuss where your organisation is now, what your people may need, what support is the right next step and how to make the work proportionate to your budget and capacity.
Contact me to book in or request a Workplace Information Pack.