Women’s health

Women experience a wide spectrum of health inequalities. These range from higher prevalence rates of some diseases (such as many mental health conditions) to significantly poorer outcomes post-diagnosis (including for cardiovascular disease, the UK’s leading cause of mortality).

The research and development of treatments for conditions experienced by women has historically been neglected, leaving the pace of innovation in menstrual health, fertility, pregnancy and the menopause lagging behind work focused on conditions primarily or solely affecting men.

Additionally, women often have less of a chance to shape their care, with reports such as the Ockenden review of maternity care demonstrating the tragic reality of women’s voices being ignored within the health and care system.

These factors – along with many others – contribute to women living a significantly greater proportion of their lives in disability and ill health.

The Health Innovation Network South London is determined to help improve the health of women. Some of our work in this area includes:

• Supporting innovators focused on women’s health, including leading delivery of the national Accelerating FemTech programme;
• Working with system partners on a range of projects and programmes identifying, improving and evaluating areas of women’s health. This includes playing a key role in the national Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP).