A year on from its Women’s Health Strategy, the government has announced a package of new measures to boost the health and well-being of women and girls
A year on from its flagship Women’s Health Strategy, the government is today announcing a significant package of new measures to boost the health and well-being of women and girls. A raft of actions are also being taken to support women and their families through the unbearable and devastating impacts of pregnancy loss.
Hundreds of thousands of women have already directly benefited from the strategy and, building on its success, the government has announced the launch of a women’s health area on the NHS website. To support women’s health at every stage of their lives, the new dedicated area will bring together over 100 topics on women’s health. It will sit alongside a brand new hormone replacement therapy (HRT) hub on the site and will enable women and girls of all ages to access important information about their health easily. It will provide information for women on a range of health issues including periods, gynaecological conditions, fertility, pregnancy, heart health and cancers.
Acknowledging the work of BBC presenter Naga Munchetty and patient groups to raise awareness of the condition, the government has also ensured the NHS website now contains a page specifically on adenomyosis (which causes heavy or painful periods) - including information about symptoms and the treatment currently available.
The brand new hub for HRT has been launched on the NHS website to help women manage menopausal symptoms and it will also help those who need it to easily find information on different types of HRT and decide which medicine is most suited to them.
Alongside the new website, to further boost women’s and girls’ health and wellbeing, the government has announced:
Minister for Women’s Health Maria Caulfield said:
The government has listened to women who have campaigned for greater action on pregnancy loss and will now go further to help them tackle the heartbreak, pain and devastation that it can cause.
In response to the independent Pregnancy Loss Review - carried out by Zoe Clark-Coates MBE (founder and CEO of The Mariposa Trust) and Samantha Collinge (Lead Bereavement Midwife at the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust) - into the care and support available to women when a baby loss occurs before 24 weeks gestation, the government is taking action to support women and their families and to help them through the trauma of such an experience.
Review leads will continue to work with the government as it implements the recommendations.
A voluntary pregnancy loss certificate will be available to parents from Baby Loss Awareness Week (9 to 15 October 2023) to help parents through their pain and provide a form of comfort and acknowledgement. Given the importance of them feeling comfortable and respected over this summer, the certificate will be tested with 1,000 bereaved families who will be able to advise the government on the application process. Those involved with testing this summer will be able to receive a certificate themselves.
The government is focused on ensuring that bereaved parents feel able to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system and will put an emphasis on supporting them through their grief, recognising their loss, acknowledging their pain and ensuring they feel heard.
Extensive work will also begin to explore more sensitive processes for women who experience the tragedy of pregnancy loss in their own home, at weekends or late in the evening. Finding somewhere to safely and respectfully keep fetal tissue should not add to an already difficult time.
NHS England will carry out an important review into the current provision of cold storage facilities at early pregnancy assessment units and A&E services. This will help government understand the level of funding needed to ensure women have 24/7 access to these units, so they aren’t expected to use their own refrigerators if they don’t want to, but have access to cold storage and clinical resources - even if it’s a weekend or evening.
Parents, clinicians and relevant design experts will also work together at speed to create a bespoke holder for storage and safekeeping that can be used by women and families when such tragic loss occurs. This will ensure the tissue can be placed and kept in something with due dignity and respect. The Human Tissue Authority will make any necessary updates to its guidance on the proper and respectful disposal of pregnancy tissue by March 2024.
Recurring miscarriages and pregnancy loss can also have a devastating impact. To ensure as few women as possible have to experience this heart-rending pain more than once, the charity Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research at Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital will now launch a 3-month pilot exploring a ‘graded model’ of miscarriage care. Women will receive testing and advice following a first, second or third miscarriage, so they can identify any medical conditions they may have, help prevent further loss, and inform other women. The government will evaluate the outcomes of the pilot at the end of this year.
Zoe Clark-Coates MBE BCAh, founder and CEO The Mariposa Trust, and co-chair of the Pregnancy Loss Review said:
Samantha Collinge, Bereavement Lead Midwife, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and co-chair of the Pregnancy Loss Review said:
Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Women’s Health Ambassador said:
Charlotte McArdle, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:
Since the launch of the NHS HRT prescription payment certificate in April this year, over 300,000 certificates for HRT have already been purchased - both via the website and in pharmacies. As a result of these new certificates, it’s been estimated women have saved over around £9 million in prescription charges for the year, with the average person saving £30 for a year’s supply.
The government has also invested £53 million into the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) programmes to support women’s health, since April 2022 - including research on male violence against women and girls, and a call for further research into testosterone as a treatment for menopause symptoms.
Background Information
See the new NHS women’s health area.
See the new NHS pages on:
Read the full Pregnancy Loss Review and the government’s response to the independent review. The government will continue to involve the Pregnancy Loss Review leads Zoe Clark-Coates and Samantha Collinge in rolling out the recommendations.
The Women’s Health Strategy is committed to improving access to IVF for female same-sex couples, by removing additional financial barriers. ICBs are responsible for applying this locally. NHS England is developing advice to assist ICBs to deliver this policy, and this work is ongoing.
Read details on the £25 million investment in women’s health hubs and cost-benefit analysis.
See the new IVF tool, which collates all available policies on fertility treatment.