Are there enough concrete commitments in the women’s health strategy to truly ‘reset the dial’?
Analysis: While elements of the strategy are thoughtful and will make a meaningful difference, others have either appeared out of the blue or slipped from view entirely
With the NHS struggling to clear huge surgical and screening backlogs and facing continued pressure from Covid-related staff absences, it's a tough time for it to take on another major challenge. But ministers have promised to reset the dial" on gender inequalities in healthcare, with the publication of the first ever government-led women's health strategy.
The pressures of the pandemic have only exacerbated health inequalities. Figures published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) earlier this year revealed that gynaecology waiting lists across the UK saw a 60% increase on pre-pandemic levels - the biggest percentage increase of all elective specialties. So with a women's health strategy being needed more now than ever, this programme of reform is welcome.
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