by There are still 580,000 women on waiting lists for menstrual or gynecological services in England, while black women still die two to three times more often than white women during pregnancy or shortly after birth.
According to the new report by the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, this is a current work that evaluated the success of the women’s health strategy for England three years after its introduction in 2022. The RCOG also suggested a strategy refreshment with new goals and ideas on how women can help in England.
This is only part of what it has found about the state of care in the country.
gynecology
The number of women on waiting lists hardly improved compared to 2024 when the RCOG reported that 592,000 women were on waiting lists for gynecological services.
However, it has praised the expansion of the health centers for women – the medical specialists and existing services to compile integrated health services for women in the community – as one of the greatest successes in the strategy.
It also praised the introduction of new research on the health of women, especially in the regular survey on reproductive health experience, which provides important data on the extent of reproductive health problems and inequalities. “However, the health of women is still underfunded and examined, with women still significantly underrepresented in clinical studies,” says the report.
What has to change? We still need support from the health centers for women in order to provide the waiting times of gynecology, more funds and support for health research by women and better opportunities to educate women about their health – from integrative menstrual education in schools to campaigns for public health that concentrate on achieving women from disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
fertility
Access to fertility treatment has been improved since 2022. However, the number of cycles financed by NHS in England is also the lowest in Great Britain in 2023, and RCOG sores will deteriorate with some areas that propose to reduce the NHS-financed IVF cycles due to costs.
Otherwise, most of the work to improve maternity in Great Britain is more likely to be subjected to the new national maternity review than in the health strategy of women.
What has to change? An updated strategy should support the review of motherhood and at the same time concentrate on improving the health of women for life, which will also improve the results of pregnancy.
Abortion and contraception
Sexual and reproductive rights were hardly mentioned in the original strategy that the RCOG should be changed in a refreshing plan.
However, this does not mean that there were no changes. Since 2023, women have also been able to access oral contraception through their local pharmacy, and the government recently committed itself to making it available free of charge at pharmacies. But women and people from disadvantaged or racially minor groups still have difficulties, such as accessing long -looking reversible contraception.
The RCOG also warns that some women still have to cover major distances despite the development of a hub hub network conducted by surgeons in order to gain access to abortion care or are forced to continue their pregnancy. However, the creation of safe access zones around abortion clinics that prohibits activity to influence or threaten women or to cause nuisance, alarm or burden on access services in England and Wales was a victory.
What has to change? The government urgently must ensure that sexual and reproductive health is a strategic priority in the entire health system.
Cancer
Although the campaigns for public awareness were identified as decisive for improving the early diagnosis, the original strategy did not make any specific obligations for future campaigns, we say RCOG. Cervical screening is still low, with only 69% of the authorized persons being adequately examined in 2023-2024.
This year, however, new guidelines for the Cervical screening were announced, which should improve accuracy and diagnoses.
What has to change? The government needs more precise plans on how to eliminate gynecological cancer and improve the results for women.
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