20 Accepted

The renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy must include an objective accompanied by clear actions...

Recommendation
The renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy must include an objective accompanied by clear actions to improve the level of awareness among all primary care practitioners of menstrual health conditions, including that symptoms can begin at puberty. This will require targeted funding and ring- fenced time for GP training. (Recommendation, Paragraph 99)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to include an objective with clear actions in the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy annual report to improve primary care practitioners' awareness of menstrual health. DHSC and NHSE will develop a comprehensive training programme, explore funding mechanisms, and ensure practitioners have the necessary time and resources, with a clear plan and timeline for implementation.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
The Government acknowledges the Committee’s concerns regarding the dismissal of women’s period problems and the normalisation of period-related pain in primary care. The Government agrees that there is a need for systemic improvement in this area and is committed to ensuring that girls and women receive appropriate and timely care for their menstrual health conditions. This is why the Women’s Health Strategy for England committed to improving education and training for healthcare professionals, including primary care practitioners, on women’s health conditions. The Government agrees that the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy annual report must include an objective accompanied by clear actions to improve the level of awareness among all primary care practitioners of menstrual health conditions, including that symptoms can begin at puberty. DHSC and NHSE will work together to develop a comprehensive training programme for primary care practitioners, which will cover a range of menstrual health conditions, their symptoms, diagnosis, and management. This programme will be developed in collaboration with expert stakeholders, including the Royal Colleges and patient advocacy groups, to ensure that it is evidence-based and addresses the specific needs of girls and women. The Government acknowledges that targeted funding and ring-fenced time for GP training will be required to deliver this programme effectively. DHSC and NHSE will explore funding mechanisms and work with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to ensure that primary care practitioners have the necessary time and resources to undertake this training. The refreshed Women’s Health Strategy annual report will include a clear plan and timeline for implementation of these actions.
Addressee Bodies
Government Equalities Office
Timeline
Recommendation age 0.4 yrs
Report published 04 Mar 2026