Are women being failed by NHS? ‘Medical misogyny’ claims surge

In recent years, a growing chorus of voices has raised alarming concerns, claiming the UK’s healthcare system is systematically failing women.

From the dismissal of chronic pain to the dangerous normalization of debilitating menstrual symptoms, “medical misogyny” has permeated to the NHS.

Recently, the UK health secretary has accused the NHS of harbouring an “appalling culture of medical misogyny” marked by “basic, everyday sexism.”

In a disturbing trend, women are often being ignored, gaslit, and disrespected by medical professions.

Medical misogyny on rise

According to unsettling statistics documented in a report by the Women and Equalities Committee, gynaecology waiting times have more than doubled in eight years, with over 565,000 women currently on waiting lists.

Issues were also identified in endometriosis diagnoses. On average, it takes 9 years and 4 months to receive a diagnosis. Unfortunately, for women who belong to diverse ethnic communities, this wait increases to 11 years.

Women from the poorest part of the country experience poor life expectancy as low as 50.5 years. There is also a stark wealth gap in health. Currently, only the wealthiest third of women can expect to remain in good health until retirement.

"At the heart of these challenges is a systematic failure to listen to women," the authors wrote in a report.

"If our approach to health and care does not work for all women - 51% of the population - then simply put: it does not work," they added.

Women’s Health Strategy

Given the pervasive bias against women in the medical sector, health secretary Wes Streeting has announced a comprehensive package of strategies to address the NHS culture which is specifically failing women.

As per measures, the efforts will be undertaken to eliminate the diagnostic odyssey for conditions like fibroids and endometriosis. The proposal also aims to ensure fewer painful procedures. In the case of any procedure, the informed consent will be secured from the patients.

The plan will also improve life expectancy in the poorest part of the country to at least 61 years from 50.5.  

The reforms will commit a new £1m menstrual education programme to help girls distinguish between healthy and unhealthy periods. It will also empower the women to influence the withholding of payment for services through patient surveys.

Using the patient survey data, patient experience will be improved, making sure women are listened to and taken seriously during their first appointment. 

Dr Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, welcomed plans for "tackling the gynaecology waiting list crisis, raising menstrual health awareness and supporting sustainable abortion services".