Renewed women’s health strategy: what general practice nurses need to know

The new Women’s Health Strategy aims to address the unique, and often poorly-recognised health needs of women across the country, and has been broadly welcomed – but many want to know just how it will be put into practice

Learning outcomes

After reading this article you will be more familiar with the key ambitions of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England (WHSE), including:

• Making women’s voices central to the delivery of the health care they receive
• Improving access to gynaecology services, particularly in relation to menstrual disorders, chronic pelvic pain, infertility and long acting reversible contraception
• Greater investment in support for women with mental health problems
• Eliminating cervical cancer by 2040, through improved access to HPV tests and vaccination, and streamlined referral pathways for abnormal screening results
• Redesigned pathways for chronic conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women
• Providing training for the NHS workforce to implement the strategy

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England (WHSE) 2026 opens with a statement from Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which reads ‘The NHS has a problem with basic, everyday sexism and an appalling culture of medical misogyny’.That breathtaking statement sets the scene for this important initiative that aims to address the unique, and often poorly recognised, health needs of women across the country.

Women’s health concerns have been underrepresented in research, in policy and in practice, so this strategy has been designed to support healthcare professionals to deliver more equitable, effective, and person-centred care for women with a range of healthcare needs.

This article summarises the aims of the strategy, its core objectives, and the plans for implementation.It also highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement in achieving the anticipated outcomes. General practice nurses (GPNs) are key players in optimising women’s health throughout their lives, and this summary should be a useful resource for facilitating greater understanding of how to implement the strategy’s recommendations in day-to-day practice.

Background

The previous women’s health strategy, published in 2022, made limited progress towards improving healthcare for women, and ongoing challenges remain. The WHSE reports that healthy life expectancy has reduced for women and that women live more years in poor health compared to men.National data show disparities in access to care, and poorer health outcomes for women when compared with men. Women from minority groups, those living in rural areas, and those belonging to lower socioeconomic groups face even greater challenges. Conditions which uniquely affect women, such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and perinatal mental health disorders, are identified as areas that are in desperate need of improvement, but there are also challenges pertaining to the diagnosis and management of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune conditions, where women are adversely impacted because of issues with their healthcare, rather than simply from their diagnosis.These conditions are too often misdiagnosed, undertreated, and poorly managed.

One of the most important aims of this strategy is to make women’s voices and choices heard.Establishing the Women’s Voices Partnership, as described in this document, will facilitate a streamlined and collaborative approach to listening to women, especially those from marginalised groups, and ensuring that past failures in the field of women’s health are never repeated.Data from GP patient surveys will also be used to identify practices where women feel their voices are (and are not) heard.

Following extensive groundwork examining where women’s health needed key improvements, the key priority areas that have now been identified are reproductive health, mental health, cancer screening, menopause and chronic conditions.

Reproductive health

The strategy document reports that waiting times to see a gynaecologist in the NHS have more than doubled between 2018 and the present day and currently stand at around 15 weeks. The average time taken to get a diagnosis of endometriosis is a shocking 9 years and 4 months.As a result, the menstrual problems pathway will be the first of nine new women’s health pathways to be published, along with the menopause pathway.There will also be greater access to support for managing pregnancy loss and recurrent miscarriage. Healthcare professionals working in these areas will have access to evidence-based guidelines for addressing menstrual disorders, abnormal uterine bleeding, and chronic pelvic pain, and there will be expansion of support for women experiencing infertility.Partnerships with community groups will aim to promote culturally competent care and accessible information.

Uptake of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is lowest in areas of deprivation, so plans to facilitate access to this are featured in the strategy, together with a pledge to publish a standard of care for gynaecological procedures, including LARC fitting, to ensure women have access to pain relief.

The strategy also sets out plans to improve availability of emergency contraception via pharmacies, without GP involvement.There is also support for easier access to abortion services.Integration of more effective reproductive health education into school curricula should help to promote early and greater awareness of this topic and contribute to improvements in sexual health and reductions in unplanned pregnancies.

A key message for GPNs is that reproductive health will be integrated more effectively into primary care in order to facilitate the seamless management of women’s health across NHS services and avoid unnecessary hospital referrals.As GPNs are often the first port of call for women seeking advice about their reproductive health, it will be important to be aware of any changes to pathways in each locality.

Mental health

The report states that around 1 in 4 women have a common mental health condition, compared to around 1 in 7 men, and that there is increasing recognition of the impact of hormones on mental health.As a result, there will be greater investment in both digital and face-to-face support for women with mental health problems and efforts will be made to reduce waiting times for mental health services.

Routine mental health assessments will be embedded within physical health check-ups during the perinatal period with mental health teams available to support pregnant and postpartum women.There is also a stated aim to improve perinatal mental health, parent-infant relationships and infant feeding support through the neighbourhood-based Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies programme.

Training for healthcare professionals will be made available with a focus on recognising gender-specific mental health presentations, addressing stigma, and building therapeutic alliances.

Cancer screening

The WHSE document reinforces the government’s aim to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, explaining that home HPV tests and improved access to vaccinations, including through community pharmacies, will play their part in achieving this aim.Support to access cervical and breast cancer screening programmes will be expanded, with a key aim of reaching women from underserved and high-risk groups. Planned improvements to services include targeted education campaigns, greater access to flexible appointments, and home-testing kits to boost uptake. Referral pathways for abnormal results will also be streamlined.

Menopause

The strategy identifies menopause diagnosis and management as one of the first of two women’s health pathways to be launched this year.A question on menopause will be added to the NHS Health Check template.Menopause care will also be standardised to reduce the postcode lottery that currently exists when women seek support for menopause-related symptoms.National guidelines will support evidence-based assessment and management of menopause, in order to address the current variability in care.Women will be offered comprehensive information about symptoms, lifestyle interventions, and treatment options such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).There will be easier access to DEXA scans to diagnose osteoporosis.

Healthcare professionals will be trained in recognising symptoms and managing co-morbidities such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular risk, and mental health issues.

Employers will be encouraged to implement menopause-friendly workplace policies, including flexible working hours and access to occupational health services.As one of the UK’s biggest employers of women, the NHS should take the lead on this.

Chronic conditions

Specialised clinics based in the community will offer multidisciplinary management of endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders. Pathways will eventually be redesigned to reduce diagnostic delay, improve access to treatment, and provide tailored ongoing support. Care navigators will be able to guide women through their care journeys, and digital platforms will be available to enhance self-management.The strategy document includes several examples of where primary care providers have improved the diagnosis and management of these conditions through an innovative, streamlined approach to care provision.

Other areas that have been identified as needing attention include musculoskeletal conditions, which disproportionately affect women, breast pain, post-menopausal bleeding, frailty, dementia, obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD).The imminent publication of the Modern Service Framework (MSF) for CVD and the Frailty and Dementia MSF will contribute to these areas.

There is also further work planned to address the issue of violence against women and girls, with the aim of reducing this by 50%, and there are additional projects underway to support survivors of child sexual abuse and for women who are sleeping rough.

Strategic approaches

As well as focusing on these clinical areas, the WHSE aims to reduce existing inequalities in women’s health by addressing known barriers to wellbeing such as ethnicity, geography, disability, and economic disadvantage. Proposed measures include using outreach services to target underserved communities, developing culturally appropriate health education, and adapting services to ensure accessibility for women living with disabilities or those where health literacy is an issue, including where English is not the woman’s first language.

An additional aim is to improve access to services.Plans include expanding opening hours, increasing the number of clinics in rural areas, integrating care across providers, and improving access to, and the use of, telemedicine. Central to the NHS 10 Year Plan are moving from sickness to prevention, shifting care to the community and transforming analogue to digital healthcare delivery.Echoing these aims, the emphasis in the WHSE is on the importance of preventative care, by improving uptake of cancer screening and immunisations, and through cardiovascular risk reduction.Mr Streeting claims more care will be available in the community rather than in hospitals and promises a strong focus on digital healthcare.Women will be supported to use a range of reliable tools to improve self-management and will be offered greater access to remote consultations.

Research

Investment in gender-sensitive research, improved health data collection, and analysis has to be a priority. Partnerships with academic institutions will be encouraged to support the development of new diagnostic tools, therapies, and evidence-based guidelines which reflect women’s needs. Research initiatives will need to focus on gender differences in order to qualify for national funding, and women will be encouraged to get involved in research via the NHS app. Companies developing so-called Fem Tech – digital innovations aimed at women’s health – may also be eligible for funding.Genomic testing will be expanded.

Training and development

This is an ambitious plan with clear implications for women’s health, but also for the workforce and for NHS resources.Transforming the landscape of women’s health services through the WHSE will take time, effort and resources.Implementation is planned to occur as a phased programme, taking place over several years.In 2026, the aim is for national clinical guidelines to be developed and disseminated, with workforce training being initiated once these are in place.All of this will require investment in the workforce. The intention is to offer training in implementation of the WHSE through online and face-to-face workshops.The focus will be on the importance and relevance of gender-based care, awareness and avoidance of unconscious bias, cultural competency, and trauma-informed care.Healthcare professionals will be encouraged to access dedicated resource hubs, such as online training modules, and updated guidelines, pathways and toolkits to support local implementation.

Funding will be allocated for the resources needed to upgrade the NHS infrastructure, optimise recruitment, and adopt new technology.The long-term aim will be to continue to evaluate services, through engagement with stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and women who are using the services.Investments are also planned to improve the use of telemedicine, apps, and patient portals.

Moving forward with the strategy

Collaboration is at the heart of the Women’s Health Strategy. Healthcare professionals, patients, researchers, policymakers, and community organisations must be partners in designing, implementing, and evaluating services. Patient groups should ensure women’s voices shape policy at every level and engagement with schools, workplaces, social care, and faith-based groups will promote holistic, culturally sensitive approaches to women’s health. Clinicians should aim to foster open dialogue, respect diverse perspectives, and actively involve women in decision-making.This is an area in which many GPNs will have extensive experience. The long-term relationships forged by a career in general practice is a strong foundation for supporting this approach.

Monitoring and evaluation

The WHSE is intended to improve innovative ways to achieve measurable improvements in women’s health.As the service progresses, audits will be continually used to track improvements in health inequalities for women, especially those from ethnic minorities, low-income groups, and rural communities, and to determine the impact of targeted interventions for those at highest risk.There will also be an assessment of whether there has been an increased uptake in screening programmes.The hope is that participation rates for cancer screening and early detection initiatives will rise, resulting in earlier diagnoses, improved survival rates, and better patient outcomes.Patient surveys will determine whether there have been improvements in care which focuses on compassion, dignity, and empowerment.

With respect to chronic conditions affecting women, such as endometriosis and PCOS, and those where women are suboptimally managed, such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders, time to diagnosis, use of effective treatments, and improvements in quality of life can be measured as a means of indicating that interventions have been successful.Similarly, assessment of improvements in mental health outcomes can be measured through a reduced incidence of perinatal mental health issues, increased access to support services, and greater integration of mental health with physical health.

When it comes to the workforce capability, healthcare professionals’ confidence and competence could be measured through training completion rates, revalidation data, and patient feedback.

Overall progress will be tracked through national surveys, clinical audit data, service utilisation statistics, and patient-reported outcome measures, with open access reports being published to highlight achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement, supporting transparency and accountability.

Robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms should ensure the strategy delivers its intended impact. Key performance indicators will be established for each priority area by expert panels, with data collected systematically by NHS trusts, primary care networks, and community organisations.

Feedback from service users should help to connect that frontline experience to policy development, ensuring that the lessons learned inform continuous improvement. Healthcare professionals must be encouraged to participate in evaluation activities, share insights, and contribute to service development.GPNs are at the vanguard of delivering many of the planned services that can potentially transform women’s experiences of healthcare, so the voice of practice nursing must also be heard.

Reaction

Most organisations, including Patient Information Forum members, have welcomed the commitments made in the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England – but many are keen for more details on investment.

The Eve Appeal is concerned by the lack of specific funding in the strategy but said: ‘We welcome any move to ensure women are listened to and their concerns acted upon quickly, which is essential in the early diagnosis of gynaecological cancers and can help save lives.

‘We know there are huge gaps in care and we need a focus on reducing these gaps so that every woman and person with “gynae” organs has the care they deserve. The plans in this strategy are ambitious and could deliver real change, but there is a lot of work to do. For this strategy to be a success we need sustained funding and support for NHS staff to deliver them.’

Dr Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), welcomed the inclusion of many priorities the charity has long been calling for. She added: ‘With over 565,000 women still waiting for gynaecological care, there is a clear opportunity to embed women’s health hubs within the neighbourhood health model.

‘For the strategy to achieve its full potential, it is vital that it is backed by sustained investment, clear delivery plans and transparent progress reporting. We stand ready to work together with government to ensure this strategy is a success.’

Emma Cox, Chief Executive of Endometriosis UK, added: ‘These commitments must be matched with a clear roadmap for delivery, including ensuring the necessary resources and capacity. We now look forward to working with the government to ensure these commitments become reality so that everyone with endometriosis, adenomyosis and menstrual health conditions have their symptoms recognised and believed, and can access the right care at the right time.’

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said the outdated idea that heart disease is a ‘man’s disease’ has cost many women their health and, in some cases, their lives. She also called for action, saying: ‘This [strategy] is an important step towards making sure every woman is listened to and receives the care she needs. Now we need sustained action right across the NHS to ensure women’s voices are both listened to – and acted upon – to protect women’s heart health at every stage of life.’

The BMA welcomed the strategy’s ambitions and improving care pathways, but emphasised that success depends on workforce capacity and genuine investment.

Specifically:

• Medical mysogny: the BMA supports the government’s pledge to eliminate outdated and misogynistic practices, including the failure to listen to women's pain and high rates of dismissal in primary care.
• Need for workforce and resources: the BMA stressed that a well-worded strategy cannot deliver change if the workforce is under pressure, underpaid, and leaving in high numbers.
• Gynaecology waiting lists: the BMA supports the strategy’s aim to address the crisis in gynaecology, where waiting lists have reached 565,000.
• Focus on specific conditions: The BMA and related professional bodies agree with the focus on improving care for endometriosis, heavy periods, and menopause, including better training for practitioners.
• Integration and community care: The BMA has called for the integration of maternity and neonatal services into the broader strategy, and supports moving more care into the community through specialised hubs.

Conclusion

The renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England 2026 sets out an ambitious vision for the future of women’s health.It has been developed by examining evidence around current practice and opportunities for improvement in areas such as prevention, early diagnosis, and effective management of a range of conditions which have a significant impact on the lives of women and their families.The key to the success of the WHSE is collaboration, and compassionate, evidence-based care.

GPNs will be central to delivering this vision, not least as they are already at the forefront of service provision.GPNs are already experts at championing patient-centred care, supporting innovative practice, and facilitating self-management. This strategy offers a real opportunity to improve the lives of women, and their families, across the country.It is vital that it moves from theory to practice as a matter of urgency.

Activities

• Identify five recent patients who have attended for insertion of an interuterine device: were they offered pain relief for the procedure? What steps has your practice taken to ensure this is offered routinely?
• Look at the records of women with a diagnosis of endometriosis: how long did they wait from their first presentation and receiving a diagnosis? Can you identify any opportunities that were missed?
• Consider how you can ensure that women are listened to and heard during your consultations, particularly those where the presenting symptom is pain.

Reference

Department of Health and Social Care. Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England. Policy document; 15 April 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewed-womens-health-strategy-for-england