From The Edges

From Edge Of Difference​

Women Exploited By Menopause Services Amid Lack Of Information

The conversation about menopause has grown louder, but not always clearer. Millions of women are being targeted by companies, celebrities, and influencers who profit from confusion and fear. With little reliable information available, menopause has become a marketplace where wellness sells faster than truth.

Nine in ten women say they want proper education and support, not expensive fixes. The government’s decision to include menopause in routine health checks is a start, but awareness alone does not equal access. The equity illusion plays out here, too, where visibility is mistaken for fairness and those without resources are left behind while others turn their symptoms into revenue.

Review Shows Anti-Black Racism in Met Police Was Buried By The Force

A new review by HR Rewired has revealed that bias, racial stereotyping, and inequity remain deeply rooted within the Met Police. These patterns are not limited to frontline operations. They are embedded in recruitment, promotion, and grievance processes, affecting the very employees the force claims to protect. The Met promised a follow-up to the Casey review to assess progress on racial equity. That review was due in March 2025 and has not appeared. The silence says as much as the data. When accountability is delayed and bias is buried within departments responsible for fairness, the illusion of equity becomes a shield for inaction. Real reform starts when institutions stop protecting their image and start confronting their truth.

Real Living Wage Increased For Many Workers

The real living wage is rising to £13.45 an hour, giving nearly half a million people a long-overdue pay boost. More than 16,000 employers now choose to pay it, and another 2,500 have joined in the past year. On paper, this looks like progress. But one in seven employees working for accredited employers means six in seven are still outside that safety net.

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Fair pay should not be a voluntary choice. It should be a baseline for dignity at work. The illusion of equity often appears in these moments of partial progress, when small wins are celebrated as systemic change. For real fairness to exist, living wages must be the norm, not the news.

University tuition fees to rise with inflation every year

The UK government has announced that University tuition fees in England will increase every year in line with inflation from 2026 onwards. Maintenance loans will also increase yearly in line with inflation. This will be a relief to universities that are struggling amidst several years of fee freezes. Others have said this is doubling down on the tuition fees funding model, which has created the crisis. The increased fees will mean that many will not be able to afford a university education.

3D maps rolled out to help disabled rail passengers

Southeastern Rail has launched 3D maps to make it easier for disabled passengers to travel. Maps for 139 stations on the Southeastern network will also help those who are visiting a station for the first time. Trial results showed 3D maps make it easier for customers to identify station facilities and accessibility features. This is brilliant for passengers who require accessible information to travel.

Eye implant changes lives

Blind patients' lives are changed by an implant at the back of the eye. Surgeons at Moorfield's hospital have trialled inserting microchips in five patients' eyes with astounding results. This offers hope to those with an eye condition called dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is common in older people. If the trials continue to be successful, this will give hope to many who want to continue working later in life.

Samaritans accused of stifling dissent over bullying

Samaritans has been accused of bullying behaviour and shutting down dissent after suspending a number of senior volunteers. The mental health charity suspended at least two branch directors. This is after announcing that branches are closing. Volunteers have been concerned about the closures.

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British start-up secures £1m in investments for women's urinals

Peequal has secured £1m in investment for women's urinals to expand across Europe, the USA and Australia. The Bristol-based company meets a growing demand from event organisers worldwide to solve the problem of queues at women's toilets at events. They have several patent-pending advancements that help with queues at events and the event's carbon footprint. The urinals are reportedly 2.7 times faster to use than conventional portable facilities. The new designs can be flat-packed for events.

Racist incidents against UK nurses surge by 55%

Royal College of Nursing calls on government to stop using anti-migrant rhetoric, which it says emboldens racist behaviour. The number of incidents reported by nurses has increased by 55%. Nurses are experiencing managers and colleagues using racist language towards them. Some nurses are experiencing patients refusing care from them and other racist behaviour. The health and social care systems only function through the number of immigrants who come here to work. The Department For Health and Social Care has a responsibility to address this.

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