Recommendations & Conclusions
6 items
1
Conclusion
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
We welcome the changes to the statutory guidance on relationships and sex education and health education (RSHE). They are the crucial first step towards ensuring all girls have an adequate understanding of their menstrual cycle and know when and how to seek help for period problems. The challenge now is …
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We welcome the changes to the statutory guidance on relationships and sex education and health education (RSHE). They are the crucial first step towards ensuring all girls have an adequate understanding of their menstrual cycle and know when and how to seek help for period problems. The challenge now is to prepare schools and teachers to deliver that education effectively. We are not entirely reassured that the Government is taking all the necessary steps to meet that challenge. (Conclusion, Paragraph 29)
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the committee's comments on RSHE guidance, highlighting past training funding and a recently announced £2m for 2024/25 RSHE teacher training (focused on online harms/mental health, with menstrual health also considered). It states DfE will work with DHSC and stakeholders on training and …
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Government Equalities Office
8
Conclusion
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
School nurses can play a crucial role in helping girls recognise menstrual problems and provide a necessary, early pathway to appropriate care. However, the school nurse system has seen a substantial overall reduction in funding over many years and is now severely under-resourced. Many pupils have no access at all …
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School nurses can play a crucial role in helping girls recognise menstrual problems and provide a necessary, early pathway to appropriate care. However, the school nurse system has seen a substantial overall reduction in funding over many years and is now severely under-resourced. Many pupils have no access at all to a school nurse. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the crucial role of school nurses and their under-resourcing, stating that the refreshed Women’s Health Strategy will aim to improve provision, and NHS England has committed to increasing school nurse numbers by 2030 as part of the Long Term Workforce Plan.
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Government Equalities Office
13
Recommendation
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
Countering women’s health misinformation through increased official and accurate social media content is vital and should be a key part of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy. The renewed Strategy must include a clear plan with measurable actions and targets to demonstrate that this is a top priority. (Recommendation, Paragraph 62)
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Countering women’s health misinformation through increased official and accurate social media content is vital and should be a key part of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy. The renewed Strategy must include a clear plan with measurable actions and targets to demonstrate that this is a top priority. (Recommendation, Paragraph 62)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees social media is vital for health information and states DHSC is developing a social media content plan to promote the Women’s Health Strategy, with updates in the annual report. It also references the Online Safety Act and ongoing engagement with platforms to …
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Government Equalities Office
15
Conclusion
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
The suppression of vital online information about women’s health is a pressing issue, which requires immediate action. The assurances provided to us by the Minister were inadequate. We do not share the Government’s confidence that the Online Safety Act 2023’s transparency and accountability provisions will solve the problem, and, in …
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The suppression of vital online information about women’s health is a pressing issue, which requires immediate action. The assurances provided to us by the Minister were inadequate. We do not share the Government’s confidence that the Online Safety Act 2023’s transparency and accountability provisions will solve the problem, and, in any case, the media regulator Ofcom is unlikely to be able to monitor compliance until at least
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the vital role of social media in health information and is developing a social media content plan for the Women's Health Strategy. It maintains confidence in the Online Safety Act and Ofcom's future role in monitoring platform compliance, while also noting …
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Government Equalities Office
16
Recommendation
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
The Government must hold social media platforms to account for inappropriate censorship of important women’s health content. “Shadow banning” is unacceptable and must cease. Social media companies must 71 recognise the significant role they play in girls’ and women’s access to important health-related content. The Government must ensure that strategies …
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The Government must hold social media platforms to account for inappropriate censorship of important women’s health content. “Shadow banning” is unacceptable and must cease. Social media companies must 71 recognise the significant role they play in girls’ and women’s access to important health-related content. The Government must ensure that strategies are in place to tackle this problem. This must be a key objective of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy. (Recommendation, Paragraph 69)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees social media is vital for health information and mentions developing a social media content plan for the Women’s Health Strategy. It references the Online Safety Act and Ofcom’s role in monitoring platform compliance with duties regarding harmful content, and states it continues …
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Government Equalities Office
17
Conclusion
12th Report – Menstrual health of girls…
Acknowledged
FemTech apps such as period trackers have the potential to transform girls’ and women’s understanding of, and ability to advocate for, their menstrual health and wellbeing. The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, however, was not sufficiently alert to the risks. These apps are now very popular with girls and younger women, …
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FemTech apps such as period trackers have the potential to transform girls’ and women’s understanding of, and ability to advocate for, their menstrual health and wellbeing. The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, however, was not sufficiently alert to the risks. These apps are now very popular with girls and younger women, who are at acute risk from inaccurate information and advice and inappropriate monetisation of their personal health data. Apps that do not draw on sufficiently diverse data risk entrenching health inequalities for girls and women from minority racial and ethnic and other groups. We previously identified a need for urgent steps to ensure the NHS starts keeping pace with the private sector in this area. We were deeply disappointed by the Government’s response and are not reassured by its evidence to this follow up inquiry. Vague commitments to collaborate with the sector and a few ad hoc projects are insufficient. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the potential and risks of FemTech apps, stating it has commissioned NICE to develop evidence standards and MHRA to create a new regulatory framework. It commits to exploring increased resourcing for the NHS Innovation team and including digital health priorities in the …
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Government Equalities Office