Mims Davies MP is pleased to welcome new Women's Health Priorities for 2024.
The Health and Social Care Secretary has named:
- Problem periods
- Women’s health research
- Support for domestic and sexual abuse victims
Among the government’s priorities for women’s health in 2024.
- Top priorities to be tackled under Women’s Health Strategy in 2024 also include menstrual problems and menopause, maternity care and birth trauma support
- Support for domestic and sexual abuse victims and women in the criminal justice system will also be improved
- Health Secretary addresses women’s health champions at major London event to outline plans for coming year and celebrate successes of Strategy’s first year
- Successes since the launch include reducing the cost of Hormone Replacement Therapy and the rollout of women’s health hubs
- £50 million for research to tackle maternity disparities
Speaking at the Women’s Health Summit in central London to mark the second year of the landmark Women’s Health Strategy, Victoria Atkins said it would also prioritise improving maternity care and support for mothers who suffer birth trauma.
This follows a raft of successes over the strategy’s first 12 months, including reducing the cost of Hormone Replacement Therapy for nearly half a million women, and the rollout of specialist women’s health hubs in every local health area. The strategy also championed the creation of a new dedicated women’s health section of the NHS website, providing updated information, advice and practical resources for women’s health across the life course.
Mims Davies MP said:
"I am so pleased to welcome the new Women's Health Priorities for 2024 with a focus on problem periods, women's health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims.
These 2024 priorities were developed from responses to the government’s call for evidence from over 100,000 healthcare professionals, women’s health champions, members of the public and other stakeholders across the health sector.
As well as these priorities, the government has also announced the reappointment of Professor Dame Lesley Regan as Women’s Health Ambassador for England for a further two years, to December 2025.
I look forward to seeing what 2024 will bring."
Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:
"We’re breaking historical barriers that prevent women getting the care they need, building greater understanding of women’s healthcare issues and ensuring their voices and choices are listened to.
We’ve made huge progress – enabling almost half a million women access cheaper HRT, supporting women through the agony of pregnancy loss and opening new women’s health hubs – but I absolutely recognise there is more to do.
We’re ensuring these changes benefit all women, regardless of socioeconomic background or ethnicity, because our Women’s Health Strategy is only a success if it works for all women."
Minister for Women’s Health, Maria Caulfield, said:
"Helping women and girls who suffer from bad periods can make a huge difference to their lives, education and careers. And any woman who has experienced trauma after giving birth - either mentally or physically - will know the impact it can have on all aspects of her life.
These are issues that impact women but they should not be seen as ‘women’s problems’ - it is an everyone problem. We are doing more to put these issues on the agenda and keep them there, to close the gender health gap once and for all.
We’ve made enormous strides in the first year of the strategy and I’m excited to see what 2024 will bring."