Renewed Women’s Health Strategy Published

The Department of Health and Social Care has published the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, setting out a comprehensive plan to improve health outcomes, experiences and access to care for women and girls across the country.

The strategy highlights ongoing challenges within the health system, including declining health outcomes, long waiting times in services such as gynaecology, and persistent inequalities between different groups of women. It notes that women spend a greater proportion of their lives in poor health than men, and that outcomes vary significantly depending on factors such as income and ethnicity.

A central focus of the strategy is improving how the health system responds to women’s needs. It sets out actions to strengthen patient voice and choice, including new approaches to collecting patient feedback, improving access to contraception and reproductive health services, and ensuring women are better informed and involved in decisions about their care.

The strategy also outlines plans to improve NHS performance in areas that particularly affect women, such as menstrual health, menopause, maternity care and conditions like endometriosis. This includes reducing waiting times, expanding services in community settings, and increasing the use of digital tools to support access and management of care.

Alongside this, there is a strong emphasis on prevention and supporting women to live healthier lives. Measures include improving screening and early diagnosis, addressing major risk factors such as cardiovascular disease and obesity, and expanding access to vaccinations and diagnostic services.

The strategy also commits to strengthening research and innovation in women’s health, including improving representation in clinical research and supporting the development of new technologies and treatments tailored to women’s needs.

Read the strategy document here.