Government publishes refreshed Women’s Health Strategy for England
The strategy responds to longstanding concerns about women’s experiences in the NHS – including not feeling listened to, delays in diagnosis, and unequal health outcomes.
You can read the full strategy here
Why this matters
The strategy highlights significant inequalities in women’s health, including:
- Women spending more of their lives in poor health than men
- Long waits and delays for conditions such as endometriosis
- Inequalities linked to income, ethnicity and where people live
- Reports of women not being listened to or taken seriously in healthcare settings
It also recognises concerns raised by women about their experiences, including feeling dismissed or “gaslit” when seeking care.
What the strategy aims to do
The refreshed strategy focuses on four main areas:
1. Listening to women and improving experiences
- Putting women’s voices at the centre of care decisions
- New ways to measure patient experience and act on feedback
- A stronger focus on dignity, respect and informed consent
2. Improving access and services
- Faster diagnosis and treatment for conditions such as gynaecology issues
- Better access to contraception, screening and menopause support
- More services delivered closer to home through community settings
3. Supporting healthier lives
- A greater focus on prevention, including heart health and cancer
- Action to reduce inequalities in outcomes between different groups of women
- More joined-up support between health, local authorities and community services
4. Research and innovation
- Ensuring women are better represented in research
- Supporting innovation in areas such as menopause and reproductive health
- Improving access to new technologies and treatments
What it means for patients and the public
If delivered effectively, the strategy could mean:
- Being listened to and taken seriously sooner when seeking help
- Shorter waits for diagnosis and treatment
- More choice and control, including digital tools and local services
- Better access to care closer to home, including through community hubs
- More personalised care across different stages of life
However, many of these changes will take time and depend on how they are implemented locally.
Healthwatch’s role
Healthwatch is referenced in the strategy through a case study on a Women’s Health Hub, recognising the role of community insight in shaping services.
At the same time, the future of Healthwatch has been raised in Parliament, following national proposals to change how patient voice is represented in the health system.
As your local Healthwatch, we will continue to:
- Listen to people’s experiences of health and care services
- Share what is working well and where improvements are needed
- Work with NHS and local partners to help ensure services reflect people’s needs
Our view
The renewed strategy reflects many of the issues people have told us about locally – particularly around access, communication and feeling listened to.
Turning this strategy into real change will depend on:
- Strong local delivery
- Ongoing engagement with communities
- Clear accountability for improving outcomes and experiences
We will continue to monitor how these plans are implemented across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay and ensure people’s voices are heard.
