Womens Health

In 2022, the Department for Health & Social Care launched the Womens Health Strategy for England.

This national strategy was produced in response to evidence that there are gaps in the data and evidence base that mean not enough is known about conditions that only affect women (e.g. menopause or endometriosis), or conditions that affect both men and women but impact them in different ways (e.g. cardiovascular disease, dementia or mental health conditions). There can often be inefficiencies in how services are delivered – for example, women must move from service to service to have their reproductive health needs met and often struggle to access basic services such as contraception.

Women in the UK live longer than men on average, but spend a significantly greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability when compared with men and historically, the health and care system has been designed by men for men. The national strategy notes that the ‘male as default’ approach has been seen in research and clinical trials, education and training for healthcare professionals and the design of healthcare policies and services.

In response to the national strategy, in November 2022, Wirral produced a Women's Health Profile, to provide a local overview of the data and evidence.