Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has relaunched England's Women's Health Strategy on April 14, 2026. This comes after a report highlighted that women's health concerns have been overlooked in NHS reforms, partly due to "medical misogyny." The renewed strategy aims to address issues including long gynaecology waiting lists, dismissal of menstrual problems, misdiagnosed heart attacks, racial biases in pain treatment, lengthy waits for endometriosis diagnoses, and inadequate cancer care.
"The system is failing women," Streeting stated, emphasizing the need for women's voices to be central to care delivery. The Women and Equalities Committee welcomed the relaunch but warned against neglecting highlighted concerns.
Sarah Owen, Chair of the Committee, described it as a "national scandal" that nearly half a million women are on gynaecology waiting lists, with many young women and girls facing systemic failures, including a lack of access to nurses and dismissed symptoms. "They continue to face unnecessarily painful procedures in diagnosis of relatively common conditions," Owen added.
The government plans to ensure women are "better heard and served" through improved feedback loops and accountability. A new referral system will direct women to appropriate professionals at first contact, aiming to streamline support and reduce waiting times. Additionally, a new standard of care will ensure women receive appropriate pain relief for invasive gynaecological procedures.
Dr. Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, stressed the need for sustained investment, clear delivery plans, and transparent progress reporting for the strategy's success.