Industry Facts

1. In the UK, women have a greater life expectancy than men, yet they suffer more from ill health and disability over their lifetimes than men. There is a clear need for a greater focus on women-specific issues, from miscarriage and menopause to heart health and osteoporosis. 1

2. As women are underrepresented in important clinical trials, without more comprehensive inclusion it is difficult to know how different the impact of certain conditions can be on women as opposed to men. 1

3. In 2022, the UK government published its first Women’s Health Strategy for England, aiming to place a clearer focus on the patient voice and boost health outcomes for women and girls. The strategy looks at women’s health across their lifetimes and highlights the importance of understanding the changing health and care needs of women and girls across all life stages. 1

4. In an effort to improve health services in the community and meet women’s needs across their lifetimes, women’s health hubs have been introduced by the government. These health hubs aim to reduce health inequalities through improved access and levels of care, with a view to improving health outcomes. 2

5. NHS England has made the expansion of women’s health hubs a key priority, aiming to invest £25 million to improve women’s health through these hubs over a three-year period from 2023 to 2025. 3

References

1. Visit: gov.uk/government/publications/womens-health-strategy-for-england/womens-health-strategy-for-england
2. Visit: gov.uk/government/publications/womens-health-hubs-information-and-guidance/womens-health-hubs-core-specification
3. Visit: england.nhs.uk/long-read/womens-health-hubs/