subscribe: Posts | Comments

Manifesto for health of women and girls out

0 comments

RCOG, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare FSRH, general election, 2019, manifesto, women's health, five specific calls to action, women's health strategy“We urge the next government to prioritise the health of our girls and women throughout their lives.”

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) published a joint manifesto last week, ahead of the general election on Thursday 12 December.

The manifesto outlines a vision for improving the health of girls and women in the UK, with five specific calls to action for the next government.

They want to see the next government take a new and bold approach to women’s healthcare, breaking down stigma and taboos that persist, providing accurate and accessible information and championing high-quality care through a life course approach.

They want all the parties to commit to:

A national women’s health strategy

The government must improve women’s health by creating a national women’s health strategy which demonstrates how government departments, arm’s length bodies, and other organisations work together to put women at the centre of their care;

High quality Relationships and Sex Education

The Department for Education must provide high quality training for teachers, with enough time stipulated in the curriculum to teach the subject, and adequate assessment of the quality of its teaching;

Removing barriers to access healthcare

NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local authorities must co-commission women’s sexual and reproductive health services with adequate oversight from the NHS.

The six-week postnatal maternal check – a missed opportunity

The NHS must provide a six-week check to cover the health of both baby and mother. This should be fully funded so that GPs and other healthcare professionals have the time to give every new mother the care she deserves;

Decriminalisation of abortion

The government must decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks. Abortion would remain subject to regulatory and professional standards and treated as a medical rather than a criminal issue.

Dr Asha Kasliwal, President of The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, said: “This manifesto champions a life course approach to women’s health with prevention at its heart. At every stage of life, we have opportunities to improve women’s health and wellbeing.

“We believe that removing barriers to access sexual and reproductive healthcare is vital to ensure that women receive the holistic, preventative care they need. This is why we are calling for NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Local Authorities to collaborate and co-commission sexual and reproductive health services until it becomes the norm across England with clear lines of accountability across the system.

“Education will also prove crucial to improve access and de-stigmatise sexual and reproductive health. Young pupils have the right to access factual, evidence-based information about sexual and reproductive health in schools, and we are urging the Department for Education to ensure high-quality training in this area for teachers, with enough time stipulated in the curriculum to teach Relationships and Sex Education.”

Professor Lesley Regan, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “It is time for a new and bold approach to women’s health and we urge the next government to prioritise the health of our girls and women throughout their lives.

“We are calling for a national strategy that is responsive to the needs of girls and women across their lives – from adolescence, to the middle years and later life.

“This includes the need for high quality relationships and sex education, the decriminalisation of abortion and a fully-funded 6 week postnatal check which also focuses on the health of the mother.”

To see the RCOG/FSRH’s full general election manifesto, click here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *