Commons Sense

House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement

Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England

15 April 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care

Proposed by Wes Streeting Lab Ilford North

NHSWomen & Equalities

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

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At a glance

Key points

  • The renewed Women's Health Strategy for England aims to improve healthcare services and outcomes for women.
  • The strategy includes new neighbourhood women's health services and prioritises digital pathways in NHS Online.
  • Specific improvements over the next decade include free emergency contraception and at-home HPV testing kits.

Issue summary

The statement addresses the renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, aiming to improve healthcare services and outcomes for women by addressing medical misogyny and enhancing choice, voice, and power.

Action requested

The strategy includes reforms such as new neighbourhood women's health services, prioritisation of digital pathways in NHS Online, focus on prevention through genomics research, and a commitment to reducing inequalities in healthy life expectancy. It also outlines specific improvements over the next decade, including free emergency contraception, at-home HPV testing kits, and menopause symptom assessments in NHS Health Checks.

Key facts

  • The strategy is underpinned by £26 billion in funding for the NHS.
  • Over 100,000 individual responses were received to the call for evidence.
  • The goal is to improve healthy life expectancy in the poorest parts of England to at least 61 years.
  • NIHR is funding research into unmet needs for women’s health, including care for young women with period pain and technology for threatened miscarriage.
  • NHS Health Checks will include a question about menopause symptoms for up to 5 million women.
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