NHS 10-year plan: What does it mean for women’s health?

The NHS 10-year plan never claimed to be a women’s health strategy (we’ve got one of those) so it’s no surprise there's no women’s health chapter, or even a section (it would've been nice to have had more than a blue box on the less than one half of page 36 though). Perhaps it should also come as no surprise that women and women’s health are mentioned far fewer times than AI - 17 vs 79!

The plan does accept that a “one size fits all” approach misses the “distinct needs of women”, as well as people from ethnic minority backgrounds or people who live in more rural communities, among many others. It commits to women’s health “never again being ignored”.

A bold statement, and a positive one.

The plan appears to envisage that Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) could provide the sort of services women’s health hubs were intended to. NHCs will need to “consider how they build on [the evidence in relating to poor performance in women’s healthcare] and provide coherent, coordinated experiences of care for those who have otherwise not had one”.  As yet, there is no guidance on how NHCs might do that. 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has called for the Women’s Health Strategy for England to be “re-set quickly, to work alongside the 10 Year Plan in driving improvements in women’s health access, experiences and outcomes, particularly for minority ethnic women and those in the most socially deprived areas”.

There are a couple of specific initiatives relating to women in the plan:

• Community pharmacists being able to make emergency hormonal contraception freely available from pharmacists by the end of this year. The administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for those who have missed it at school.
• Changes to cervical cancer screening (read Women’s health in the June news cycle)
• Changes to maternity and neonatal care/services including:
  • Quality indicators for maternity care
  • A national, independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services with a view to recommending one set of national actions to drive improvements needed to ensure high quality care.
  • A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to support the development of a new national maternity and neonatal action plan, leading to rapid improvement of maternity and neonatal quality and safety and ensuring that any families in the future who are harmed or bereaved will get answers about what happened, see that lessons are learnt and that there is accountability.
  • A new Maternity Outcomes Signal System (MOSS)

There will no doubt be disappointment that the health of women isn’t covered in greater detail, particularly given women make up 51% of the population. There is a recognised gender health gap, with gynaecological waiting lists growing, and for the 4th year in a row the UK dropped in global women's health rankings.

Professor Ranee Thakar, RCOG President, feels that while the plan lays strong foundations, “it falls short in pledging to eliminate the gender health gap that is costing women years of life and good health. Today’s plan must mark a move away from treating women’s health as a collection of niche issues towards offering women excellent, joined up care across their life course, with investment in the women’s health workforce, Femtech and research”.

I take some comfort from Dr Nikita Kanani MBE's post that working within the spirit of the plan (“delivering neighbourhood-based care that blends technology with trust, and puts women’s health where it belongs: at the centre of the conversation”) will see improvements in women’s healthcare and the health of women. It’s just a shame women’s health wasn’t quite as front and centre as some of the other aspects of the plan (looking at you AI!). As Professor Thakar says “It’s time for an NHS with all women at its heart.” 

In the coming weeks we’ll publish our latest women’s health report. This has a strong focus on the role of the NHS in women’s health, as well as how the independent sector and insurance market are working to improve women’s healthcare and the health of women.

If you’d like a copy, email Charlotte Lewis to be added to the mailing list.