The first women's health hubs have launched in Wales this week,
bringing menopause, contraception and menstrual health services
closer to home.
By March, there will be a hub in every health board, tailored to
meet local needs. Some will operate over multiple sites and
others will be accessed online but they will all adhere to the
same holistic approach to women's health.
The hubs will improve access to vital healthcare services through
extended clinics, education sessions and online guidance and
signposting.
They have been designed with women to fit around women's lives.
Some services will be referral-based and others will be open
access.
Today [Thursday, January 29] , the Minister with
responsibility for Women's Health, will meet women and clinicians
at Hywel Dda University Health Board first pilot hub at Padarn
Surgery, Aberystwyth.
The Minister said:
“Women's health hubs will make it easier for women in Wales to
get care when they need it and bring that care closer to home.
“The two very different provisions I will have visited in Swansea
and Aberystwyth over the past week reflect the wide variety of
ways health boards are meeting the brief of tackling health
inequalities and making sure women's symptoms are not dismissed.
“As the pathfinder hubs, and the new services linked to them, are
rolled out we'll be listening to women's feedback and adapting to
make sure we are building a health service which meets the needs
of women and girls, now and for generations to come."
The Aberystwyth clinic is GP and nurse led, offering menopause,
menstrual health and contraception services alongside already
established pelvic physiotherapy and bladder and bowel nurse-led
services. Eventually women living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion
and Pembrokeshire will also have access to a virtual
multidisciplinary platform linked to the board's hubs.
Last week, the Minister attended an open physio session for women
in Swansea on pelvic floor health. The session is a new service
being delivered in the community as part of the virtual hub being
developed by Swansea Bay UHB.
Mr Alan Treharne, Consultant Gynaecologist at Hywel Dda
University Health Board and Clinical Director for the Ceredigion
Community and Integrated Medicine Group, said:
"The pilot at Padarn Surgery is working well and we are looking
forward to developing seven women's health hubs based around our
seven GP clusters across the Hywel Dda area. These hubs bring
together new ideas and practical care, helping women living in
mid and west Wales to get the support they need as close to home
as possible.
"This is a great opportunity for us in Hywel Dda to keep testing
new ways of delivering care, supported by the Bevan Commission
through its exemplar and fellowship projects. As clinicians
developing these health hubs, we believe it gives us the ability
to deliver care faster, more holistically and with high
standards.
"We are pleased that Welsh Government has given us the funding to
develop the women's hubs. This means we can support women with
their journey through menstrual health, contraception and
menopause at locations in the communities where they live, making
their care journey easier and more personal."
Dr Helen Munro, Clinical Lead, National Strategic Network for
Women's Health, said:
“These new women's health hubs represent a meaningful shift
in how we deliver care across Wales. By bringing menopause,
menstrual health, contraception and pelvic health services
together in one accessible, community‑based model, we are
removing barriers that have too often prevented women from
getting timely support.
“What matters most is that these hubs have been shaped by women's
experiences and designed around the realities of their lives. As
services expand across every health board, we have a real
opportunity to listen, respond and build a system that treats
women's health with the priority and respect it deserves.”
The hubs are part the Women's Health Plan for Wales that was
published last year. The plan, created by the National Strategic
Clinical Network for Women's Health, part of NHS Wales
Performance and Improvement, sets out how NHS organisations in
Wales will close the gender health gap by providing better health
services for women, ensuring they are listened to and their
health needs are understood.
It includes over 60 actions across eight priority areas to
improve healthcare for women throughout their lifetime, based on
feedback from around 4,000 women across Wales.
Each health board has received an additional £300,000 this
financial year to support the development of the pathfinder
women's health hubs. They will be evaluated later this year.
Notes to editors
