Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Healthcare for Women

Tuesday 6 June 2023 · 6 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The first Government to produce a women's health strategy in England is taking steps to improve healthcare for women.
  • Osteoporosis is a priority area in the women's health strategy, and work is ongoing to address vitamin D status and fracture prevention.
  • The Government has spent 190 million on midwifery services and is seeing an increased number of midwives entering the profession.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
NHS Women & Equalities
Context

The question follows the government's publication of a women's health strategy in England. The MP is seeking specific steps taken by the government to improve healthcare.

Question

What steps he is taking to improve healthcare for women, given the first Government has produced a women's health strategy in England?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

This is the first Government to produce a women's health strategy in England. We are making huge progress on the eight priorities in our first year, from introducing the hormone replacement therapy pre-payment certificate, which is reducing the cost of HRT for women, to the £25 million roll-out of women's health hubs across the country.

Answered
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Q2 Judith Cummins Lab Bradford South
NHS
Context

Half of all women over 50 will experience bone fractures due to osteoporosis, leading to many serious hip fractures. The MP is concerned about the lack of key performance indicators for integrated care boards focusing on fracture prevention.

Question

Can the Minister explain why not even one of the 63 key performance indicators set by NHS England for integrated care boards sets a target for fracture prevention?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the hon. Lady for her work in this space. She is campaigning hard on this issue. I reassure her that osteoporosis is in the women's health strategy and is a priority area for us. We are already working to make sure that women's vitamin D status is known, and to make sure that we fill gaps. NHS England is expanding fracture services for high-risk women with osteoporosis, and it is working to prevent falls.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific KPIs were not addressed directly

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Q3 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
Women & Equalities
Context

Women often endure unnecessary pain through standard but invasive procedures like hysteroscopies and intrauterine device fittings without adequate pain relief. The MP is pressing the government to expedite action on the pain management promised in the women's health strategy.

Question

How much unnecessary pain must Ministers see women endure before the Government finally deliver on the pain management promised in the women's health strategy? And why is this a 10-year ambition instead of a more immediate one?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the hon. Lady for her question, and let me also pay tribute to the hon. Member for West Ham (Ms Brown), who has campaigned hard in this space. I met a group of women to discuss painful hysteroscopies just a few weeks ago. This is a priority in the women's health strategy, as the hon. Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) said. We are working with the royal college to update its guidelines.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeframe was not addressed directly

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Q4 Steve Brine Con
NHS
Context

Women living with HIV are excluded from accessing fertility treatments due to microbiological safety guidelines. The MP is asking the government to follow scientific evidence on undetectable viral load.

Question

So will the Government now follow the scientific evidence, particularly on undetectable viral load, and remove what are surely discriminatory restrictions on the basis of HIV status?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee for his question, as he raises an important point. Last year, we asked the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to reconsider this specific issue. It set up a working group in June last year to look at it and we expect its recommendations this month.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to removing restrictions was not directly addressed

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Q5 Siobhan Baillie
NHS
Context

The MP is concerned about the recruitment of midwives and maternity teams, especially in relation to reopening Stroud Maternity Hospital.

Question

Will my hon. Friend give the House an update on the recruitment of midwives and maternity teams, as Gloucestershire NHS is working so hard on that, in order to fully reopen Stroud Maternity Hospital?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank my hon. Friend, who does a huge amount of work supporting her local midwives in Stroud. I can give her encouraging news: not only have we spent £190 million on midwifery services, but we are seeing an increased number of midwives coming through midwifery training.

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Q6 Liz Kendall Lab Leicester West
Care & Healthcare Workers Social Care
Context

During Carers Week, the MP is highlighting health issues faced by women who are unpaid carers of older or disabled relatives. The majority of these carers suffer from poor health.

Question

So will the Minister finally commit to a cross-Government national carers strategy, including health issues in it, as the last Labour Government did?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the shadow Minister for her question. My colleague the Minister for Social Care is hosting an event today for carers, and £300 million for carers in the better care fund has also been released.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to a national carers strategy was not directly addressed

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