Access to contraception, IVF, maternity support and mental health services will also improve, the government pledged in its first women’s health strategy. Baby loss certificates will be offered to those who lose a child before 24 weeks and a national fitness program will encourage older women to build muscle and stay active. Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, said: “It is not right that 51% of our population should be disadvantaged in accessing the care they need, simply because of their gender. “The publication of this strategy is a landmark moment in tackling entrenched inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of women across the country.” Women live longer than men on average, but spend around a quarter of their lives in poor health, compared to a fifth for men. The 127-page strategy says “historically, the health and care system has been designed by men, for men”. There is also a health gap between women in deprived areas and those in wealthier areas of the country. The Guardian revealed in April that women in the poorest areas of England die earlier than the average woman in almost every comparable country. The government’s 10-year strategy for women’s health, originally due to expire last year and then rescheduled for the spring, will be published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on Wednesday. Another government health strategy – on health inequalities – was due to be published this week but is likely to be delayed until after the summer. Almost 100,000 women took part in the consultation. Maria Caulfield, minister for women’s health, said some of their experiences were shocking. “When we launched our call for evidence to inform the publication of this strategy, women across the country gave us a clear mandate for change,” she said. “Tackling the gender health gap won’t be easy – there are deep-rooted, systemic issues we need to address to ensure women receive the same standards of care as men, universally and by default.” As part of the strategy, new women’s health research will be commissioned to better understand women’s specific health conditions and “address the data gap” to ensure diagnoses and treatments work better for women. The women’s health section of the NHS website will be revised and expanded. Parents who experience a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be offered a certificate to acknowledge this. The Government is also investing £10 million in the NHS screening program to provide 25 new mobile breast screening units. All doctors will be trained to provide better care to women, with mandatory women’s health teaching and assessment for all medical students and incoming doctors. Thousands of women told the consultation that they “repeatedly needed to advocate for themselves” and had to push for further research to secure a diagnosis. Delays often have an impact on their health and quality of life. Of those who responded to the consultation, 84% said they often feel ignored or not listened to when they ask for help from the NHS. Trainees will be assessed by the General Medical Council on women’s health, covering topics such as menopause, obstetrics and gynaecology. Those undergoing specialist training, such as to become a general practitioner or physiotherapist, would be taught about women’s health, while existing doctors could take extra courses to improve their knowledge. The strategy says: “We heard concerns that women were not being listened to in cases where pain is the main symptom, for example being told that heavy and painful periods are ‘normal’ or that the woman will ‘snap out of them’. “Women also told us that they talked to doctors multiple times over many months or years before they were diagnosed with conditions like endometriosis.” The strategy promises to expand the women’s health hubs, which so far operate in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Hampshire and Hackney in London, and will enable women to access support, advice and treatment for a range of issues. The Government’s ambassador for women’s health, Dame Lesley Regan, said the strategy was an opportunity to “put the dial back on women’s health” after decades of NHS services “failing” women.
