Women’s A major Government review concluded that health care has been ignored for many decades due to the stigmatization and sexism embedded in the NHS.
An analysis of 100,000 British women revealed that eight out ten feel they don’t get enough attention from doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel. The report revealed that women at every age feel ignored.
This follows a string of scandals in the NHS that have affected women. These include maternity care failings and widespread use of defective pelvic mesh implants. It also includes the negligence of Ian Paterson, a rogue breast doctor.
Yesterday night, ministers pledged to end ‘decades’ in gender health inequality through a Women’s Health Strategy that will be published this spring. They’ll ban hymenoplasty, virginity testing and other invasive methods that are used to prove young women didn’t have sex prior to marriage.
One million British women participated in a survey that found 8 out of 10 believed they weren’t being properly listened by healthcare workers, nurses, and doctors (stock image).
To address ‘highly-entrenched problems in the healthcare system,’ the Department of Health has also appointed a Women’s Health Ambassador.
These issues include a dearth of training required for GPs regarding menopause symptoms. This means that many women are unable to get treatment like Hormone Replacement Therapy. It will also tackle the IVF postcode lottery, and offer ways to increase access for single women.
This report was based upon responses of 100,000 women. It also identified evidence that ‘damaging stigmas and taboos’ were used to teach women to think debilitating and chronic pain (such as endometriosis-related cramps) are normal.
The statement stated that services to treat special conditions or diseases that only affect women have a lower priority.
Maria Caulfield (minister for women’s health) said that although the responses to the appeal for evidence were generally in line with expectations, especially in relation to women’s priorities and some other areas, the revelations made were quite shocking.
“Many of these issues require system-wide, long-term changes. But we have to start somewhere. It is a proud moment for me to share our vision of women’s healthcare. This is our first step towards realizing our dream of a system that supports all women throughout their life.
Maria Caulfield was the minister for women’s health.
This strategy is based on a string of health failures including maternal care failures that led to many baby deaths at Shrewsbury, Telford Hospitals as well East Kent Hospitals.
Inquiry by Baroness Cumberlege revealed that thousands of mothers and children had been ‘catastrophically harmed’ by three preventable scandals in the health care system: pelvic implants, Primodos pregnancy test drug and sodium valproate epilepsy treatment.
According to the government, health inequalities affect women at different stages of their lives.
They struggle most with gynaecological problems such as endometriosis in their twenties. However, for women who are older, fertility issues and miscarriage plague them. Poor menopause care was most detrimental to women in their 50s and 60s, while healthy aging is key for those over sixty.
Last night Mika Simmons, of the Ginsburg Women’s Health Board – a panel of British experts aiming to tackle the gender health gap – said: ‘It is incredibly exciting to see the results of this consultation.
It is only the beginning. The women’s healthcare system has been ignored for too long. It’s time to make a major shift.