The RCOG policy and public affairs team reflect on taking members' priorities directly to politicians and decisionmakers to shape the future of women's health.
This week, the team travelled to Liverpool for the Labour Party Conference, where one message rang out clearly: hope.
The key question is how we turn hope into action so that every woman is enabled to live healthy and fulfilling lives, with access to timely, safe, high-quality care. This must be the year we make real progress, together, on the issues that matter most: safer maternity care, shorter gynaecology waiting lists, and ensuring every woman feels heard, respected and able to make informed choices about her care.
At the RCOG's breakfast roundtable on implementing the Women's Health Strategy, we brought together parliamentarians, clinicians and women's health organisations to discuss how we can translate ambition into meaningful change. The shared commitment across sectors to improving outcomes for women and tackling the barriers that continue to hold progress back was heartening. There is a real opportunity to build on that momentum and deliver lasting improvements in women's healthcare.
Dr Alison Wright, RCOG President, spoke at Hologic's event on the Women's Health Strategy and Policy Connect's panel discussion on making every contact count to improve women’s long-term health. Both conversations were optimistic and forward-looking, focused on how we can make the most of the opportunities ahead to improve women's health and reduce inequalities in care.
Investment levels, workforce pressures and service delivery challenges were naturally part of many discussions, including during the President’s meetings with trades unions and Royal Colleges. Yet what stood out was the determination from colleagues to work together to improve services and support women throughout their lives, despite the pressures of long-term underinvestment.
One of the highlights of the conference was the opportunity to meet with so many parliamentarians and partners who share our commitment to improving women's health. Dr Alison Wright met with Andy McNae MP, Baby Loss APPG Chair, Sonia Kumar MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care, and Olivia Bailey MP, Women and Equalities Select Committee Chair.
Conversations ranged from maternity safety and baby loss, to reducing gynaecology waiting lists and wider inequalities in care, demonstrating the breadth of support for meaningful action in these areas.
The Secretary of State, Yvette Cooper, made clear in her speech that maternity care is one of her top priorities and must no longer be treated as a "sidecar" by hospitals. She paid tribute to the amazing care our maternity workforce provides every day, while acknowledging that care has sometimes fallen short. She also set out plans to bring back Sure Start Health Centres and to take a public health approach to violence against women and girls, including GP specialist referral services for victims of domestic abuse.
We left Liverpool feeling encouraged. It was heartening to hear the Secretary of State speak so passionately about prioritising women, babies and families, and pledge not to stop until every mother is given the care she deserves. The RCOG stands ready to play its part. Together, we have a genuine opportunity to turn hope into progress and deliver the improvements that women, families and the dedicated staff who care for them deserve.
- Read more about our campaigning and opinions here.
- Read more on our work on addressing gynaecology waiting times, here.