Women’s rights in healthcare must stay on the agenda

Women’s health appears to stay high on the healthcare agenda, but does the needle ever move when it comes to real life equality? The Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, published two years ago, sets out a 10-year plan with “a range of commitments to improve the health of women everywhere”, which is sorely needed given that, while women live on average longer than men, they spend more years in poor health. Also, women’s pain is often underestimated by healthcare professionals which can in turn lead to a greater risk of misdiagnosis, and, as Caroline Criado Perez has clearly shown, women are underrepresented in clinical trials.

These persistent inequalities are one of the reasons that every year I look forward to the wonderful Women’s Rights in Healthcare conference run by the incomparable law firm Leigh Day. This year was no exception, and well-timed just ahead of International Women’s Day. From opening words from Stella Creasy MP (Labour, Walthamstow) to closing remarks from Clinical Negligence Partner Suzanne White, this is always a thought-provoking, activist stirring, all round galvanising treat.

This year’s event focused on young women’s health, and we heard from experts from across the health and legal space about every aspect of this, from mental health to early motherhood via dealing with eating disorders and endocrinological conditions.

There were some common threads running throughout the day that featured in many of the talks: gender health gaps and the importance of early diagnosis. In particular, journalist Sarah Graham, author of Rebel Bodies, spoke powerfully about gender-based health inequalities and the devastating impact this can have – especially for women experiencing conditions like endometriosis, which can take years to diagnose correctly. This was a theme that recurred in others’ testimony too. Helen Hayes MP (Labour, Dulwich and West Norwood), spoke movingly about a constituent whose cancer was missed until it was far advanced, feeling as if she was dismissed and not provided with the right tests because as a woman, she wasn’t listened to.

We heard from medical experts too, such as Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Adeola Olaitan on gynaecological cancers, their signs, prevalence, and the importance of awareness – as well as how different ethnicities can be impacted unequally – and from Dr Rebecca Scott about the complexity of hormone health in young women and the importance of being alert to the threat of diabetes.

Alongside the professional expertise there was, as always, lived experience and impassioned personal stories. People who have lived through great trials and come out the other side, often turning their challenges into great triumphs, inspiring others to spring into action. Comedian Juliette Burton showed us how she uses humour to destigmatise mental illness, and how she is not afraid to be frank, feminist and funny, while making very serious points about how we view mental health and how so much of the language can be gendered and oppressive.

It's when the discussion happens, with all speakers on a panel together, that we are able to dig deeper. These sorts of events always boast engaged, sometimes enraged audiences – who are well-versed in the topics already and want to hear expert testimony – so there are often probing questions. At one point, a member of the audience asked if the assembled speakers had seen much of a shift in attitudes and outcomes for women’s health, to which a stark answer came: “not really – not in twenty years of practice”.

The status quo is stubbornly being maintained, and women and girls are still having to fight to be heard, to trek back and forth to their doctor to get a clear diagnosis when suffering indeterminate symptoms, and to get tests and treatment that they need in a timely manner. As one panellist also noted: women often deprioritise their own health while taking care of others; women’s busy lives, not to mention past bad experience and stigma, also make attending cervical screening difficult, even thought cervical cancer is eliminable.

It feels as if we are at a tipping point for women’s health – where women could gain greater autonomy in everything from reproductive rights to clinical trials – but it takes an unapologetically feminist approach to healthcare to achieve. As we potentially approach a new political era, we can only hope that our collective efforts enable this to happen.

Thanks to Leigh Day and all speakers for a magnificent event, and hope to see you again next year.

#womensrights #justiceforall #WRH2024