In July 2022, the Government published its Women’s Health Strategy for England policy paper. It has promised to reset the dial on gender inequalities in healthcare, with the publication of the first ever government-led women’s health strategy and women’s health ambassador. On the one hand, I am so happy that the Government has finally acknowledged the decades of systemic gender health inequality – a system where women do not feel listened to – and the broad scope of this strategy seems to have recognised the concerns and views raised by women (100,000 took part in the consultation). However, I am disappointed that the strategy doesn’t bring forward the necessary funding, infrastructure, and staff that the NHS needs to tackle this issue.

For example, the overall aim of the strategy is to boost health outcomes for women over 10 years. But the Government has only committed to an additional £10 million (mostly for mobile breast cancer screening units). That’s £10 million over a ten-year strategy.  What about Mr Johnson’s 40 new hospitals, or the new nurses and doctors that we so desperately need? What about additional gynaecologists or midwives?

Last summer, I held an online discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on women’s health services. Particular attention was paid to the poor outcomes suffered by black women and their babies as a result of the disproportionate levels of service they receive in the delivery of perinatal care. Another big issue was women’s mental health struggles during the pandemic.  It is unsurprising that mental health is not mentioned in the policy and there is little on the life-course approach to women’s health that the government’s new women’s health ambassador, Professor Dame Lesley Regan, has long advocated.

According to WHO, the UK has the largest female health gap in the G20 and 12th in the world. This Tory Government has the sole responsibility and role to shape our healthcare, to properly fund our National Health Service and tackle the barriers faced by women. Yet, this strategy doesn’t include concrete targets or include spending commitments. Without these two important factors, we won’t be able to close the gender health gap. This is why I will continue to urge the Government to ensure that all women’s services, including family planning centres, maternity services and all screenings are properly funded and staffed, as part of a wider strategy to improve safety across the board.

This is an issue I will continue to raise in Parliament, so please do get in touch if you would like to share your views.