- Government strategy will be renewed to tackle inequalities
and improve access to healthcare for women across England
- Secretary of State commits to addressing long-standing
barriers in women's healthcare as part of mission to build NHS
fit for the future
- Strategy follows announcement that menopause questions will
be included in NHS Health Checks
Women across the country will soon benefit from better and more
compassionate care as the Women's Health Strategy is set to be
renewed to address longstanding barriers, the government has
announced today (Thursday 23 October).
This follows today's announcement that menopause questions
will be included in NHS Health Checks to better support millions
of women.
The renewed strategy will set out how the government will take
the next steps to improve women's healthcare as part of the 10
Year Health Plan and create a system that listens to women's
experiences and tackles the inequalities they face.
As part of the renewal, which will be published next year,
the government will look to identify specific barriers in access
to healthcare and set out concrete action to remove them.
Opinions from women who contributed to our 10 Year Health Plan
consultation - the biggest ever conversation about the future of
the NHS - will play a central role in developing this
strategy.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“We inherited a broken NHS, and as a result too many women are
still subject to system that doesn't listen to their experiences
or understand their needs.
“Whether it's being passed from one specialist to another for
conditions like endometriosis or PCOS, the lack of proper pain
relief during procedures, or unacceptable gynaecology waiting
lists — it's clear the system is failing women, and it shouldn't
be happening.
“Our renewed strategy will set out our longer-term vision
so every woman gets the healthcare she deserves, when she
needs it. We're determined to build an NHS in which women can
feel safe and can trust.”
The government has already begun taking immediate steps to
improve women's healthcare since taking office. Gynaecology
waiting lists have begun falling for the first time in years,
with additional funding invested to tackle the backlog of
cases.
The newly introduced Jess's Rule ensures GPs in England
‘think again' if they see a patient three times without
identifying a diagnosis, or if symptoms are getting
worse.
We have also set out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by
2040 through the new cervical cancer plan for England, and
emergency hormonal contraception is due to be made available free
of charge on the NHS at pharmacies.
These measures form part of the government's Plan for Change
mission to build an NHS fit for the future, ensuring healthcare
services are personalised and preventative.