In our mini series on countries that have put endometriosis on the agenda on a national level, our next stop is England.
When was it made?
“Women’s Health Strategy for England” was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, in 2022 (first presented in July and subsequently updated in August).
By whom and based on what was it made?
“Women’s Health Strategy for England” was made by the Department of Health and Social Care on behalf of the government.
The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by a cross-government delivery board reporting to ministers at the Department of Health and Social Care. In 2021 the government launched a 14-week call for evidence to inform the development of the strategy.
The call had 3 parts:
– A public survey open to all individuals aged 16 and over in England.
– An open invitation for individuals and organisations to submit written evidence.
– A focus group study with women across England.
The government received more than 97,000 responses from ordinary English citizens and more than 400 written responses from individuals and organisations with expertise in women’s health.
What is the overall content of the plan?
The strategy outlines several initiatives already taken or currently being implemented to better women’s health. And it sets the course for the next 10 years.
What does the plan say about endometriosis specifically?
Endometriosis is specifically mentioned several times throughout the strategy.
E.g. endometriosis is mentioned as an example of a condition only affecting women which has long been under prioritised. As a result not enough is known about this condition and diagnosis and treatment is systematically lacking.