Our Commitment to Accessibility
Target standard: WCAG 2.1 Level AAThe Menopause Network is committed to making our website accessible to everyone. We believe that clear, usable information about menopause should be available to all women, regardless of disability, age, or the way they choose to access the web.
We are working to ensure that themenopausenetwork.co.uk meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA — the internationally recognised standard for web accessibility.
While The Menopause Network is not a public sector body and is not legally required to comply with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, we have adopted WCAG 2.1 AA as our target standard because it is the right thing to do for our community.
How Accessible Our Site Is
We have designed our site with accessibility in mind from the outset. The following features are in place:
Sufficient contrast between text and backgrounds throughout, using a consistent design system. Colour is never the sole means of conveying information.
Clear, legible typefaces at readable sizes. Text can be resized using standard browser controls without loss of content or functionality.
Semantic HTML headings, consistent navigation, visible keyboard focus indicators, and skip navigation links to bypass repetitive content.
Meaningful images include descriptive alt text. Decorative images are marked so screen readers can ignore them.
Link text is written to make sense out of context. We avoid vague text such as "click here" or "read more" without additional context.
Form fields are clearly labelled. Error messages use plain language and identify specifically what needs to be corrected.
We aim to include captions or transcripts for embedded video. Contact us if you need a transcript for a specific piece of content.
The site is fully responsive across screen sizes from desktop to mobile. Touch targets are appropriately sized for touchscreen use.
Known Limitations
We are transparent about where our site currently falls short of our accessibility goals. The following limitations have been identified:
- Some older blog posts may contain images without adequate alternative text. We are working through our archive to address this.
- Some third-party content embedded in our site — such as videos hosted on YouTube or content from external providers — may not fully meet WCAG 2.1 AA. We have limited control over third-party accessibility, but will favour providers who demonstrate a commitment to it.
- The Symptom Checker tool is currently undergoing an accessibility review. If you experience difficulty using it, please contact us and we can help you access the same information in another format.
- Some PDF documents linked from the site may not be fully accessible to screen reader users. We are reviewing these and will replace or remediate them where possible.
We are actively working to resolve these issues. If you encounter a problem that is not listed here, please let us know.
What to Do If You Have Difficulty
If you are unable to access any part of our website, or if you find content difficult to use, we want to hear from you. We can often provide information in an alternative format or help you access what you need in another way.
Email: admin@themenopausenetwork.co.uk
Phone: 07444 782286
When you get in touch, it helps if you can tell us:
- The web address (URL) of the page you were trying to use
- What you were trying to do
- What happened instead
We aim to respond to accessibility queries within five working days.
Assistive Technology
Our site is designed to be compatible with a range of assistive technologies, including:
We test our site using a combination of automated tools and manual checks, including keyboard navigation testing and screen reader testing on both desktop and mobile platforms.
Browser & Device Support
We support the latest two major versions of the following browsers:
The site is tested on both Windows and macOS desktop environments, and on iOS and Android mobile devices. If you experience an issue on a specific browser or device combination, please let us know.
Enforcement & Complaints
The Menopause Network is not a public sector body and is not subject to formal enforcement action under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. However, we are committed to acting on feedback and improving the accessibility of our site continuously.
If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility concern, or if you feel we have failed to meet a reasonable standard, you may wish to contact:
- The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): equalityhumanrights.com
- The Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS): 0808 800 0082
Under the Equality Act 2010, we have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. We take this duty seriously and will always do our best to accommodate individual needs.
How We Test This Site
Our approach to accessibility testing includes:
- Automated scans using tools such as Lighthouse and WAVE
- Manual keyboard navigation checks across key user journeys
- Colour contrast checks using established contrast ratio tools
- Review of page structure and heading hierarchy
- Periodic review of new content and features before they are published
We carry out a full accessibility review whenever significant changes are made to the site's design or functionality. Day-to-day, our content team follows accessibility guidance when writing and publishing new content.
We intend to commission a formal third-party accessibility audit as the site grows. When this is completed, we will publish the findings and our remediation plan on this page.
Changes to This Statement
We review and update this accessibility statement at least once a year, or sooner if significant changes are made to the site. The date at the top of this page reflects when it was last reviewed.
As we identify and resolve accessibility issues, we will update this statement to reflect the current state of the site accurately.
Contact Us
We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our site. If you have a suggestion for how we can improve, or if you have experienced a barrier, please reach out:
- Email: admin@themenopausenetwork.co.uk
- Phone: 07444 782286
- Website: themenopausenetwork.co.uk
We are a small team, but we take accessibility seriously. Every piece of feedback we receive helps us make the site better for everyone.
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