There are still nearly 580,000 women on waiting lists for menstrual or gynaecological services in England, while Black women are still two to three times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after birth than white women.
That's according to the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology's new report, A Work in Progress, which has evaluated the success of the The Women's Health Strategy for England three years after its launch in 2022. The RCOG also suggested a strategy refresh, with new goals and ideas on how to help women in England.
This is just some of what it's found about state of care in the country.
Gynaecology
The number of women on waiting lists has scarcely improved from 2024, when the RCOG reported that there were 592,000 women on waiting lists for gynaecological services.
However, it has praised the expansion of women’s health hubs – which bring together healthcare professionals and existing services to provide integrated women’s health services in the community – as one of the biggest successes of the Strategy so far.
It also praised the launch of new research into women's health, particularly the regular reproductive health experiences survey, which gives important data on the extent of reproductive health problems and inequalities. 'However, women’s health remains underfunded and under-researched, with women still significantly under-represented in clinical trials,' notes the report.
What needs to change? We need continued support for women's health hubs to drive down gynaecology waiting times, more funding and support for women's health research, and better ways to educate women about their health – from inclusive menstrual health education in schools to public health campaigns focusing on reaching women from deprived and marginalised communities.
Fertility
Since 2022, there have been improvements in access to fertility treatment. Yet, the number of NHS-funded cycles in England is also the lowest in the UK, at only 24% in 2023, and the RCOG worries it is set to get worse with some areas proposing to reduce NHS-funded IVF cycles due to cost.
Otherwise, most of the work to improve maternity care in the UK comes under the new national maternity review, rather than the Women's Health Strategy.
What needs to change? A refreshed Strategy should support the maternity review, while also focusing on improving women's health for life that will also improve pregnancy outcomes.
Abortion and contraception
Sexual and reproductive rights were scarcely mentioned in the original Strategy, which the RCOG says should be changed in a refreshed plan.
However, that doesn't mean there hasn't been changes. Since 2023, women have also been able to access oral contraception through their local pharmacy rather than GP and the Government recently committed to making emergency hormonal contraception available free of charge at pharmacies. But women and people from more deprived or racially minoritised groups still struggle to access long-acting reversible contraception like the coil.
The RCOG also warns that, despite the development of a surgeon-led hub network, some women are still having to travel vast distances to access abortion care, or be forced to continue their pregnancy. The creation of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics, that bans activity intending to influence or threaten women, or cause harassment, alarm, or distress to those accessing services, in England and Wales has been a win, however.
What needs to change? The government urgently needs to ensure sexual and reproductive health is a strategic priority across the healthcare system.
Cancer
Although public awareness campaigns were identified as crucial to improve early diagnosis, the original Strategy made no concrete commitments to future campaigns, say the RCOG. And cervical screening uptake is also still low, with only 69% of eligible individuals adequately screened in 2023-2024.
However, new cervical screening guidelines were announced this year which should improve accuracy and diagnoses.
What needs to change? The government needs more specific plans for how they aim to eliminate gynaecological cancer and improve outcomes for women.
Chloe Gray is a freelance writer and editor who specialises in inclusive health and fitness. A regular contributor to Women’s Health, she is currently the Acting Health Editor and has previously held roles as our Acting Memberships Editor and Senior Writer at Stylist's Strong Women vertical. She studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield and has a decade of experience writing on the women’s health gap, reproductive health, mental health, diet and exercise culture and the social determinants of health for newspapers and magazines including Cosmopolitan UK, the i newspaper, Glamour, Marie Claire, Men's Health and Red. Chloe is also a fitness trainer and coach, panelist and founder of Gray’s Anatomy, a Substack about bodies. You can follow Chloe at @graychlo.
