Today (27 March), The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has published a Women’s Health manifesto setting out clear, actionable commitments the College wants to see in the upcoming 10-Year Health Plan.
Labour’s manifesto promised “Never again will women’s health be neglected”. This promise can be delivered by embedding women’s health across the Government’s three key areas of focus: delivering care closer to home, increased focus on preventing poor health and boosting digital transformation. The case is clear that investing in women’s health offers opportunities to unlock NHS savings and drive wider economic growth.
Dr Ranee Thakar, RCOG President, said:
“Too often, systemic, operational, structural and cultural issues mean women do not get the care they deserve. The 10-Year Health plan offers a vital opportunity to change this, and the RCOG manifesto sets out the six areas for action that we believe will make the biggest difference for 51% of the population.
“This is a critical time for the NHS, returning to direct government control while facing funding constraints, high service demand and the need to transform care delivery. The RCOG is committed to working with the Government and NHS leaders to support the transition and ensure that the 10-Year Health Plan has women at its heart.”
Jane Plumb, Chair of the RCOG Women’s Network, said:
"The UK stands out as the country with the largest gender health gap in the G20 and the 12th largest globally, with women and girls often experiencing significantly worse health outcomes, partly due to insufficient investment in the NHS. This disparity is even more pronounced in the most deprived areas. The 10-Year Health Plan is a crucial opportunity to place the needs and experiences of women and girls at the forefront of healthcare. By prioritising their health, we can ensure that all women and girls receive the high-quality, personalised care they deserve.
“I fully support the RCOG’s calls for action to address maternity care, reduce gynaecology waiting lists, tackle health inequalities, and develop women’s health hubs to enhance patient experiences and outcomes. The Government must deliver on their manifesto pledge of prioritising women's health, as failing to do so will undermine the progress needed to close the gender health gap and improve outcomes for women and girls across the UK."
Key calls for action outlined in the RCOG Women’s Health manifesto include:
- Implementing the Women’s Health Strategy and building on the current priorities to improve women’s health throughout the life course.
- Implementing fully-funded policies and programmes to ensure all women and birthing people receive high-quality, personalised and safe maternity care, which supports their physical and mental health during and after pregnancy.
- A commitment to long-term, sustained funding to address the complex systemic issues driving gynaecology waiting list growth.
- Investing in an adequately staffed women’s health workforce including adequate time for training and making greater use of technology to provide the highest-quality care for women, patients, and families.
- Continued support for women’s health hubs to improve people’s experience of care, increase the services they can access in the community and improve efficiency across the system, ultimately cutting elective waiting lists.
- A focus on improving public health to address the stark health inequalities that women face across their life course, moving from sickness to prevention.
The manifesto is available for download here.
For more information, please contact: policy@rcog.org.uk