...let's get talking about what matters to women when it comes to their health
In our region, we want better and fairer health for all women and girls. Even with the progress we've made, women and girls still face challenges when it comes to their health. We want to change this.
On Thursday 11 July at the second regional women's health innovation conference, the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Healthwatch County Durham launched their Big Conversation to better understand experiences of health and healthcare.
Despite the many advances we have made in society, there is still much to do to ensure health and care services are delivering for the 51% of the population who are women. Listening and acting on the views and experiences of women is a key part of making that happen. The views heard as part of this BIG Conversation will directly feed into plans for women's health in the region.
Women's Health Programme
The first national plan for women's health, launched in 2022, sets out a 10- year ambition to boost the health and wellbeing of all women and girls. And change is already happening here in the North East and North Cumbria.
So far:
- £600,000 ha been invested in 'one stop shop' women's health hubs
- New initiatives have been launched to provide better menopause support
- Care for breast pain, fertility, and maternal health has been improved
- Community pharmacies have been supported to provide UTI treatments and contraceptives providing easier access to treatment for women. But there is still more we want to do.
That's why regionally we are turning our ambition for women's health into action – using the strength, collaboration, and energy we have, to create our own implementation plan and make the changes we want to see now and for future generations. If we can make things better for girls and women, everyone benefits.
To kick start the BIG Conversation women across the region are being asked about what matters to them with a new survey.
Healthwatch will also be running six focus groups alongside this survey.
These groups will reach out to women from seldom heard groups such as those with learning disabilities, unpaid carers, and women with maternal mental health challenges.
More to Come
There is more to come, so expect some BIG conversations across key areas women have already highlighted to us as important to them – such as:
- Menstrual health and gynaecological conditions
- Fertility, pregnancy loss, postnatal support
- Menopause
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Cancer
- Impact of violence against women and girls
- Health ageing and long-term conditions
