Health: Women and Pain

Lord Watts Excerpts

Monday 9th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Action 4 commits to testing patient power payments, and we are prioritising gynaecology services as a test. That will mean that if a woman’s feedback, which will be actively sought, is not what it should be based on their experience—and that includes pain—then payments can be withheld and invested to improve the situation. I am sure the House appreciates that often it is finance which drives change, and this is just one of our new ways of doing that.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the country needs to target the poorest members of our community, male and female, whose health is worse than the average and who need the resources that we require?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I agree with that. That is why, in the 10-year health plan and in our manifesto commitments, we are working towards the commitment to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and the poorest regions, and setting a minimum standard of healthy life expectancy of 61 years in all areas. That is consistent with halving the gap, and means that we will give attention to all regions of the country, particularly those that need it most.