Today, following direct calls from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Department of Health and Social Care has published a renewed Women's Health Strategy for England, setting out its ambitions for improving women's health across the life course.
The Strategy shows clear commitment to putting women's voices and experiences at the heart of their care - an ambition the College has long championed. For too long, too many women have felt their pain and symptoms go unheard, waiting months or even years before accessing care from the right specialist. The Strategy's ambition to support reducing gynaecology waiting times to 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament is an important opportunity to change that.
Commitments to fund a new menstrual health education programme and improve access to contraceptive and abortion care are further important steps in the right direction.
The shift from hospital to community care is a genuine opportunity to transform how women access healthcare - reducing pressure on hospitals and helping women access care sooner. To realise this opportunity, the RCOG is calling for Women's Health Hubs to be explicitly embedded in the new Neighbourhood Health model as distinct, dedicated services with protected funding.
Investing in women’s health does more than improve individual outcomes across the life course – it strengthens workforce participation, reduces long-term pressure on the NHS, and drives economic growth.
In response to the publication, Dr Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said:
“The refreshed Women’s Health Strategy marks an important renewal of the government’s commitment to delivering an NHS that works for women.
“We welcome the inclusion of many priorities the RCOG has long been calling for, including tackling the gynaecology waiting list crisis, raising menstrual health awareness, and supporting sustainable abortion services.
“However, despite Government commitments to reduce NHS waiting lists, the picture for women remains deeply concerning. With over 565,000 women still waiting for gynaecological care, the scale of the challenge cannot be overestimated.
“There is a clear opportunity to embed Women’s Health Hubs within the neighbourhood health model. Hubs play a vital role in helping women access care sooner, closer to home, whilst reducing pressure on hospital services.
“For the Strategy to achieve its full potential, it is vital that it is backed by sustained investment, clear delivery plans, and transparent progress reporting. We stand ready to work together with Government to ensure this Strategy is a success.”
Jane Plumb, Women’s Voices Lead at the RCOG, said:
“Women, girls and people deserve safe, personalised and compassionate care throughout their lives, so it is good to see a renewed Women’s Health Strategy that is clearer about both the change that is needed and how it will be delivered. Commitments to neighbourhood care, reducing gynaecology waiting times, strengthening abortion services and improving menstrual health education are all important steps that together have the potential to make a real difference to everyday lives.
“It is also encouraging to see a stronger focus on listening to those using services, including around informed consent and pain. Too many women and people have felt unheard, or expected to tolerate pain without proper explanation, choice or support. What matters now is delivery. This Strategy will succeed if it is shaped with women, girls and people, drawing on their lived experience alongside clinical expertise. Keeping voices at the heart of implementation will be essential to turning ambition into meaningful, lasting change."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Read the RCOG’s evaluation of the previous Women’s Health Strategy here: A Work in Progress: Evaluating the Women’s Health Strategy | RCOG