NHS England employees going through the menopause will be offered flexibility in their working schedules, the nation's health service has announced and called on other employers to follow suit so women can “thrive” at work.

The NHS is the UK’s biggest employer. In England alone, the health service employs around 1.3 million people. More than three-in-four workers are women. NHS England says its new policy will help around 260,000 employees who are either approaching or going through menopause.