Wellbeing of Women respond to the renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England

Janet Lindsay, Chief Executive at Wellbeing of Women, said:

“Wellbeing of Women welcomes the launch of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy.  We fully support the emphasis on listening to women’s voices when planning individual care, and in designing wider systems for diagnosis, treatment, and support. Far too often, we hear from women who feel ignored or dismissed when seeking care. This renewed strategy represents an important step towards addressing longstanding issues that have continually resulted in poorer health outcomes for women.

We are pleased to see menstrual health placed at the centre of the strategy and welcome the government’s commitment to strengthening education in schools. As part of our Just a Period campaign, we look forward to supporting this work, developing RSHE resources for key stages 3 and 4, and expanding our Period Symptom Checker so that everyone can feel informed and empowered about their health.

Alongside these plans, we need the Government to commit to long‑term, sustainable funding across women’s health. Without consistent investment in research, education, community initiatives and services, progress will remain fragmented, creating a postcode lottery where access to high‑quality care depends on where a woman lives. We have already seen this with women’s health hubs, which despite their potential to transform care, have remained chronically under‑funded with provisions varying across the country, ultimately leaving many women without the support they need.

Grassroot organisations, like the members of our Health Collective, who provide the most marginalised in society with specialised care must be given the resourcing they need to deliver support within their communities. Without fair and consistent funding, these groups, who already face additional barriers in receiving care, become increasingly disadvantaged. To build a truly equitable women’s health system, investment must prioritise the areas, organisations, and communities that have been historically overlooked.

Real progress in women’s health is only possible through true collaboration between grassroot organisations, charities, healthcare professionals, industry, and government. Wellbeing of Women is committed to that collaboration and will continue to work across the sector to ensure the refreshed strategy drives meaningful, long‑term improvements for all women and girls across the country.”