Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Women's reproductive health conditions

Status: Closed Opened: 25 Jul 2023 Closed: 2 May 2025 21 recommendations 30 conclusions 1 report

A short inquiry looking at women’s reproductive health and the challenges that women face when they are being diagnosed and treated for these conditions. The inquiry considers any disparities that exist in the diagnosis and treatment, and the impact of women’s experiences on their health and lives. Read the terms of reference to find out …

Reports

1 report

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
1st Report - Women's reproductive health conditions	HC 337	11 Dec 2024	51	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items

24 Conclusion 1st Report - Women's reproductive healt… Rejected

Cease using 'benign' and reprioritise chronic reproductive conditions like endometriosis for surgical treatment

NHS England should cease to use the term benign in relation to reproductive ill health. The NHS should work with stakeholders to develop a way to describe these conditions that more accurately reflects the serious impact they can have on people’s lives. This should include a wider discussion about what …

Government response. The government recognizes the importance of training in women's reproductive health but states NHS England will not collect data on primary care practitioners' training hours due to burdens and logistical challenges. The recommendation about terminology and prioritisation for chronic conditions …

Government Equalities Office

35 Recommendation 1st Report - Women's reproductive healt… Rejected

Strengthen annual GP appraisal with performance indicator on women's reproductive health diagnosis and treatment.

The annual GP appraisal process should be strengthened to include a specific performance indicator on the diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions, including intersectional considerations. That indicator should include patient experience.

Government response. The government rejects adding specific performance indicators for women's reproductive health to GP appraisals, explaining that such indicators are not part of the system, but notes that patient experience is already captured through 360-degree reviews and the GP Patient Survey.

Government Equalities Office

36 Recommendation 1st Report - Women's reproductive healt… Rejected

Collect annual data on primary care practitioners' training hours in women’s reproductive health.

NHS Digital should collect data on how many hours of training primary care practitioners undergo annually in the field of women’s reproductive health. (Paragraph 131) Medical education

Government response. The government rejects the recommendation for NHS Digital to collect data on training hours for primary care practitioners, citing burdens, potential overlap with regulators, and logistical challenges, and refers to existing CPD and appraisal processes.

Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions

Date	Witnesses
13 Nov 2024	Dr Sue Mann, Professor Dame Lesley Regan	View ↗
29 Nov 2023	Charlotte McArdle · NHS England, Dr Judith Richardson · National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Dr Robin Buckle · Medical Research Council, Maria Caulfield MP · Department of Health and Social Care, Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Professor Hilary Critchley FMedSci · Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Lucy Chappell FMedSci · National Institute of Health and Care Research	View ↗
8 Nov 2023	Dr Anne Connolly MBE · Menstrual Health Coalition, Dr Geeta Kumar · Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Dr Michael Mulholland · Royal College of General Practitioners, Janet Lindsay · Wellbeing of Women, Professor Sue Carr · General Medical Council (GMC), Rebekah Lloyd · This Independent Life	View ↗
18 Oct 2023	Naga Munchetty, Vicky Pattison	View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters

Date	Direction	Title
31 Jan 2024	—	Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of H…
10 Jan 2024	—	Correspondence from Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, NHS England, relating to Wome…