Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Major Conditions Strategy: Women

Wednesday 7 June 2023 · 5 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government produced the first women's health strategy.
  • Consultation on the strategy closes at the end of the month.
  • NHS website will launch a women's information portal later this summer.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tom Randall
NHS Women & Equalities
Context

The major conditions strategy aims to improve health outcomes for women, but there is concern about its effectiveness.

Question

What steps the Government are taking to ensure that the major conditions strategy improves health outcomes for women?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

This Conservative Government are the first Government to produce a women's health strategy, and in the first year we are already delivering on our eight key priorities, many of which are in the major conditions work, including dementia and musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoporosis.

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Q2 Nicola Richards
NHS
Context

Chai Cancer Care has developed a blueprint for supporting breast cancer patients and their families, raising questions about the extent of NHS support.

Question

Will the Minister congratulate Chai Cancer Care on its dedication to patients and families? And will she ensure that the major conditions strategy goes as far as possible to offer better, more joined-up care to women across the country?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank my hon. Friend for her work in this space. She is a vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on breast cancer, and she also has first-hand experience of the impact of breast cancer. I congratulate Chai Cancer Care and all the charities supporting women who are going through breast cancer.

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Q3 Tom Randall
NHS
Context

A constituent caring for her husband with dementia highlights the need to hear from caregivers.

Question

Does my hon. Friend agree that the experiences of these people need to be heard? Will she encourage them to take part in the call for evidence on the strategy before it closes at the end of this month?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

My hon. Friend is right on this and I encourage everyone to go to the gov.uk website, because the consultation closes at the end of the month.

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Q4 Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West
NHS
Context

Women experience heart attacks differently from men, leading to a lack of awareness about these differences.

Question

Will the strategy examine how awareness of these differences and of symptoms to look for can be improved?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

The hon. Lady makes an excellent point, and one of our eight priorities in the first year is improving access to information. Later this summer, the NHS website will be launching a women's information portal, which will provide information on some of the key conditions that women suffer from.

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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
NHS Women & Equalities
Context

There is a concern about rising numbers of breast cancer cases in Northern Ireland and whether the devolved nations will be left behind.

Question

What steps will she take to ensure that the devolved nations are not left behind on outcomes for women?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. He will know that health is a devolved issue, but we are working closely with all four nations, because we want to ensure that we have joined-up working, particularly in the screening programme.

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