12th Report – Menstrual health of girls and young women

The government accepts the recommendation, stating the DfE will work with expert stakeholders to develop guidance and resources for the updated RSHE curriculum (effective September 2026) to ensure it reflects diverse menstrual wellbeing experiences. The refreshed statutory guidance will be published for consultation later this year.

The government accepts the recommendation, committing the Department for Education to develop comprehensive resources and guidance for schools on menstrual and gynaecological health. This will include advice on period product access and embedding awareness at a whole-school level, to be in force by September 2026.

The government accepts the recommendation, committing to investigate reasons for non-participation in the period product scheme and actively encourage engagement. It will also extend the scheme indefinitely and explore expanding access points beyond schools and colleges within the refreshed Women's Health Strategy.

The government accepts the recommendation, stating the DfE will investigate restricted school toilet access, work with school leaders to ensure appropriate access, and provide guidance encouraging alternative disciplinary approaches.

The government accepts the recommendation, stating the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy will aim to improve school nurse provision, especially in deprived areas. NHS England has already committed to increasing school nurse numbers by 2030, involving investment in recruitment, training, and retention.

The government will provide a link to the Wellbeing of Women period symptom checker on the NHS England website by Summer 2024, subject to governance processes. NHS England has also begun work with Wellbeing of Women to explore options for including the checker within the NHS app's functionality.

The government agrees to add Wellbeing of Women’s period symptom checker to the NHS app, with NHS England having begun work with stakeholders to explore options. DHSC will also work with Wellbeing of Women to expand the conditions captured by the checker and will provide a link on the NHS website by Summer 2024.

The government agrees on the vital role of social media in health information dissemination and states DHSC is currently developing a social media content plan for the Women’s Health Strategy, with updates to be provided in the annual report.

The government accepts the recommendation, commissioning NICE to develop FemTech evidence standards and MHRA to create a new regulatory framework for software as a medical device. DHSC and NHSE will explore opportunities to strengthen the NHS Innovation team's capacity, and the refreshed Women's Health Strategy annual report will include priorities for digital health functionality like period trackers.

The government acknowledges the concerns regarding the dismissal of women's period problems in primary care and commits to systemic improvement. It will ensure the refreshed Women's Health Strategy annual report includes an objective with clear actions, and DHSC/NHSE will develop a comprehensive training programme for primary care practitioners, including exploring funding mechanisms for dedicated training time.

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.

The government accepts the recommendation, agreeing that all nurses should have solid menstrual and gynaecological care training. It commits to working with the Royal College of Nursing and stakeholders to include menstrual health in standard nurse training, reviewing curricula, and developing new modules, with a clear plan and timeline to be included in the Women’s Health Strategy annual report.

The government agrees to work with the Royal College of Nursing and other stakeholders to include menstrual health in standard training for all nurses. This objective, along with a clear plan and timeline, will be included in the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy annual report.

The government accepts the recommendation, stating the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy (due early 2025) will prioritize improved access to LARC and explore integrating LARC into broader women's health services, aiming to shift its perception beyond just contraception.

The government accepts the recommendation, stating the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy (due early 2025) will focus on improved LARC access and explore ways to further integrate LARC provision into broader women’s health services, supporting expansion of women's health hubs.

The government accepts the recommendation, committing to set ambitious targets and actions in the refreshed Women's Health Strategy to incentivise increased research into menstrual health conditions, including root causes and improved diagnosis and treatment. It will also explore dedicated research for adolescent girls and ringfenced funding for specific research areas.

The government accepts the recommendation, acknowledging the urgent need for increased research into menstrual health conditions and existing investments of over £50 million. The refreshed Women’s Health Strategy will set ambitious targets, address wider barriers to diagnosis and treatment for specific groups, and focus on improving healthcare access and education.