Women’s Health Strategy

Baroness Sugg Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I am very grateful, as ever, for that offer and the engagement of the noble Lord. To his point about Command Paper 1558, I do not think that is the year the first one or this one were published. I understand there have been that many Command Papers, but this is a cracking one, and I am glad that the noble Lord has welcomed it.

Research is extremely important, as the noble Lord identified. Through the strategy, our approach will be to research and development that actually works for, but also empowers, women. That is why I am glad we will be launching a femtech challenge fund. We want to accelerate the adoption of innovations and make sure they transform women’s healthcare. There is also an accelerator for female founders, and that is also key. I can confirm that the NIHR will be applying its new sex and gender policy. That will make sure that research is inclusive—as it has not always been in the past, as the noble Lord says—and is representative of women, and I welcome that.

On the point about the long-term research and programme grant, as we develop this work I will ensure that my colleague, Minister Ahmed, builds this in. I also offer the noble Lord a discussion, because this is an important point.

[Baroness Sugg (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome the commitment in the strategy to women’s health hubs:

“Where high quality women’s health hubs exist, they will continue to lead service delivery. In other areas we anticipate there will be a dedicated space within broader neighbourhood health centres”.


However, the guidance for neighbourhood health centres states that gynaecology is a minimum requirement, which is welcome given the waiting lists, but the women’s health hubs are not. Will the Minister explain the Government’s plan for women’s health hubs? How are they supporting and expanding the ones that are open, and how are they ensuring that women across the country do not face a postcode lottery for care?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The whole point about the strategy is to ensure that the last point about a postcode lottery does not apply. Access to NHS Online will help hugely with that because it will not matter where you are. If you are referred to the NHS online hospital, you will be able to access the best without initial travel. That will help hugely.

On women’s health hubs, we are building on the pilots that were established. We are now asking integrated care boards to integrate women’s healthcare properly into neighbourhood health centres. It is a big push in the 10-year health plan and, obviously, because this is aligned with it in the women’s health strategy, it is about neighbourhood health, which I know the noble Baroness is a strong voice for. We will also develop more guidance for integrated care boards about how they provide quality and the right amount of speedy and appropriate healthcare for women in neighbourhood settings, which may well be through women’s health hubs. They have taught us a lot. I think we can probably move even further than women’s health hubs, so in that respect the pilot has been extremely helpful.