Women's health strategy consultation closes on 30th May

[Fargoer]

Just a reminder in case anyone was planning to contribute to this consultation. For anyone aged 16+. Particularly from those with expertise in women's health

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/womens-health-strategy-call-for-evidence

Apologies I think it was extended as the link says 13th June is the deadline

well worth every woman doing this

as even small changes, could make a massive difference to the lives of women of all ages. even if it's just accurate health information,

• NHS menopause treatment is poor compared to private specialists. if it were to private standards it would prevent death and disease in women.

• only 1 in 10 women getting HRT treatment. treatment which can help prevent/delay dementia one of the biggest causes of death for women.

• HRT treatment through the skin (gels, patches, sprays), IS NOT prescribed in favour of pills to save NHS money. Yet a massive study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Jan 2019 found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) hormones absorbed through the skin are safer than oral HRT (tablet or capsule).

• lack of understanding of symptoms - GPs don't have to train in women's health issues.

• women report side effect problems with HRT tablets and get dismissed by GPs or told that the best treatment isn't available on the NHS (not true)

• Gels needed over the counter in the chemist are still prescription only, unlike male treatments.

• women getting misdiagnosed with depression.

the list goes on and on

thanks for the link OP. Hope people respond. I filled it in after it was linked in the Davina TV Menopause program thread.

There's a whole bunch of stuff to talk about, but I think the way women are treated during birth and postnatally is really important - being denied pain relief, having problems minimised and so on.

Also of course important to emphasise our need for single-sex wards and same-sex carers.

Has this been on the MNHQ pinned posts, at all? Is there a way we can ask for that to happen? Seems so important.

I do t know, @ArabellaScott, good question.

Thanks for the reminder. I need to do this.

Fargoer, I raised it in Site Stuff and asked MNHQ if it could be a pinned post or publicised somehow.

Thanks Arabella, good thought