The Gender Health Gap: The Next Steps
By Elise Stevenson- 2 minute read
As discussed in our previous blog post, ‘Why Women’s Health is still being overlooked: The Gender Health Gap’, Women’s mental and physical health is still being widely disregarded by medical professionals and scientists alike. This is a large issue women face in our everyday lives, but what is being done about it, you may ask?
In 2021, the Scottish government outlined a plan to tackle women’s health inequalities (1). The ‘Scottish Women’s Health Plan’ was the first dedicated, structured health plan of its kind implemented in Scotland. The plan aimed to reduce the health inequalities women and girls face by making services and information more accessible, ensuring women’s data is collected and handled/used correctly and ensuring women are at the forefront of health and policy decisions made on their behalf.
Phase one (2021-2024) divided priorities into short-, medium- and long-term action plans and set into motion actioning these. With it brought an increase in attention to these health inequalities, the development of a targeted information platform specifically for women’s health (2) and the development of new services and policies within workplaces and the NHS for menopause, menstrual health and endometriosis (3).
Recently, the Scottish government outlined their plans to implement phase 2…
Phase 2 (2026-2029) sets out to build on these foundations. Specific aims include developing a novel ‘National Gynaecology Plan’ to reduce wait times and tailor services to women’s health needs, increase cervical cancer screening and vaccination efforts to eliminate it by 2040 and improve dementia research in women (4).
So, what does the implementation of phase 2 mean for women’s healthcare, and what can we expect?
This plan is proof that the government are actively listening to the lived experience and concerns of women and girls across Scotland regarding their own healthcare. They have recognised the health inequalities that we face and made the first step towards levelling the playing field.
When the first plan was outlined, it wasn’t proposed as a multiphase plan but rather a single-phase implementation. After seeing the success of the first phase, the second phase was developed. It is reasonable to believe come 2029, and the completion of phase 2, we will see a third phase policy be drafted.
Further developments, such as a potential phase 3 plan, should outline directions specifically for marginalised communities, e.g., POC, Rural communities, disabled, etc. Upgrading healthcare knowledge and facilities for women includes ALL women, not just the majority, and such minorities must be taken into consideration as well, especially when it pertains to their data in research.
The future of women’s health care is looking up. With further advocacy and government intervention, we can bridge the gender data and health gap.
