Health Strategy For England Research Articles

Understanding primary care perspectives on supporting women's health needs: a qualitative study.

A consultation for the Women's Health Strategy for England in 2022 highlighted a need to understand and develop how general practice can support women's health needs. To understand the perspectives and experiences of primary care practitioners (PCPs) about supporting women's healthcare needs. Interpretive qualitative research set in general practice in England. PCPs working in general practice settings were recruited through research and professional networks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone or Microsoft Teams, audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. In total, 46 PCPs were interviewed. Participants had a range of roles and worked in a variety of primary care settings. Results are presented within six themes: 1) being alongside a person from cradle to grave; 2) maintaining the balance between general and specialist skills; 3) generalists and specialists combined make more than the sum of their parts; 4) striving for equity in a collapsing system; 5) firefighting with limited resources; and 6) the GP is being cast as the villain. The findings show that relationships and advocacy are valued as fundamental for women's health in general practice, and highlight the adverse impact of threats to these on staff and services. Developing specialist roles and bespoke services can foster staff wellbeing and could support retention. However, care is needed to ensure that service configuration changes do not result in clinician deskilling or rendering services inaccessible. Care is needed when services evolve to ensure that core aspects of general practice are not diminished or devalued. GP teams are well placed to advocate for their patients, including commitment to seeking equitable care, and these skills and specialist knowledge should be actively recognised, valued, and nurtured.

Supporting maternity workers with menopause

British Journal of MidwiferyVol. 31, No. 3 EditorialSupporting maternity workers with menopauseSuzannah AllkinsSuzannah AllkinsSearch for more papers by this authorSuzannah AllkinsPublished Online:2 Mar 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2023.31.3.125AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Department of Health and Social Care. Our vision for the women’s health strategy for England. 2021. https://bit.ly/3SlBPvO (accessed 23 February 2023) Google ScholarDepartment of Health and Social Care. Hundreds of thousands of women experiencing menopause symptoms to get cheaper HRT. 2023. https://bit.ly/3SlZgFf (accessed 23 February 2023) Google ScholarRoyal College of Midwives. NHS employers are failing staff on menopause support says the RCM calling for urgent improvements. 2022a. https://bit.ly/3m2wayI (accessed 23 February 2023) Google ScholarRoyal College of Midwives. Working with the menopause. 2022b. https://bit.ly/3Y0TGcp (accessed 21 February 2023) Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 March 2023Volume 31Issue 3ISSN (print): 0969-4900ISSN (online): 2052-4307 Metrics History Published online 2 March 2023 Published in print 2 March 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Not misogynistic but myopic: the new women's health strategy in England

July 20, 2022 marked the eagerly awaited full publication of the women's health strategy for England, UK.1 The strategy brings a welcome focus on women's health after crises such as the Ockenden Review,2 which exposed the failures in care of women and babies at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, and the Paterson Inquiry report,3 which documented the many ways in which women were harmed by a rogue consultant breast surgeon. When the UK National Health Service fails, women's lives and health are frequently compromised.

Menopause care and over the counter vaginal oestradiol

Menopause care is receiving more attention than ever before in the UK and has been highlighted as a priority area in the upcoming Women's Health Strategy for England and through the work of the UK Menopause Taskforce.1 These efforts bring an opportunity to increase access to menopause support, information, and treatment, which for many years has been hampered by a legacy of fear of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after the publication of the Women's Health Initiative study in 2002.2 This study reported increased health risks associated with HRT and was accompanied by widespread negative media coverage, followed by a decrease in HRT use worldwide.

Accidental injury: a neglected area within Primary Care Groups and Trusts?

Our objective was to assess accidental injury prevention activity within Primary Care Groups/Trusts (PCG/Ts), and current knowledge and attitudes towards accidental injuries and their prevention amongst PCG/T board members. We used a cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey design. Participants were board members of 51 PCG/Ts in Trent. The main outcome measures were prioritization of accidental injury prevention and factors influencing prioritization, perceptions of the accidental injury rates in the population served by the PCG/T, accidental injury prevention activity undertaken by the PCG/T, attitudes towards accidental injury prevention and towards the PCG/Ts involvement in accidental injury prevention, knowledge of accidental injury mortality, and beliefs in the effectiveness of interventions. Many (66%) PCG/T board members see accident prevention as the least important of the priority areas in the Government's health strategy for England. Half the PCG/Ts (49%) had formally discussed accidents at a PCG/T meeting, 34% had taken action and 29% had written an accident prevention strategy. The median number of agencies PCG/Ts were working with on accident prevention was 2. GPs held less positive attitudes about accident prevention than other board members (Z = -10.01, P < 0.001), but had a greater knowledge about injury mortality (Z = -3.92, P < 0.001). Health promotion leads had more positive attitudes towards accident prevention than other board members (Z = -3.70, P < 0.001). There were misconceptions amongst health promotion leads about the effectiveness of some accident prevention interventions. We conclude that there is little evidence of prioritization of accidents as an area for health improvement. Although some PCG/Ts are undertaking accidental injury prevention, a minority have demonstrated strategic planning with respect to accident prevention or collaboration with a wide range of agencies. Accident prevention and the PCG/Ts role within this are not viewed positively by all board members. Gaps in knowledge about accidents and their prevention are apparent. PCG/Ts will need help and support to fully develop their potential in preventing accidental injuries.

Sexual health strategy for England

Sexual health strategy for England

Suicide prevention and ‘The Health of the Nation’

In setting out a health strategy for England the White Paper, The Health of the Nation includes mental illness as one of its five key areas for action. Within mental health three targets are set out.