Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted
Paragraph: 35
Improve NHS website with interactive tools, guidelines, accessibility, and mental health support
Recommendation
To supplement improvements in the provision of information on the NHS website, we recommend the inclusion of an interactive tool which can help women to determine whether they might have a reproductive health condition. We further recommend that information on specific conditions, contains links to the relevant medical guidelines so that patients can make themselves aware of the care they should expect. Information on the website should be made accessible by default, including in different languages. The link between reproductive health conditions and mental ill health should also be clearer, with information on how to access support signposted. Women’s health hubs should be commissioned to provide tailored information at a local level, in a range of formats suited to their local population.
Government Response Summary
The government emphasised that healthcare professionals are expected to provide comprehensive information, discuss treatment options, pain relief, and use shared decision-making, citing existing NHS England guidance. It also noted that women's health hubs provide specialist knowledge, but did not commit to any new actions regarding an interactive website tool, specific website content, or commissioning new hubs.
Paragraph Reference:
35
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government is committed to ensuring that women receive comprehensive, up-to-date information about diagnostic and treatment options for reproductive health conditions. Healthcare professionals are expected to provide women with detailed information ahead of any surgical procedure, enabling them to make informed decisions about their care. This includes discussing: the full range of options available waiting times the outcomes of surgical procedures non-invasive alternatives Women should also have the opportunity to discuss pain relief options, including local or general anaesthetic and alternative treatments such as pelvic ultrasound, where available. These conversations should be undertaken using a shared decision-making approach that ensures individuals are supported to make decisions that are right for them. NHS England has published a summary guide on the use of shared decision-making . These discussions and approach: ensure that women understand what to expect help women explore the relative benefits and disadvantages of available treatments promote informed decision-making ensure that care is tailored to individual needs and preferences All healthcare professionals are required to undertake continuing professional development ( CPD ) and maintain up-to-date knowledge of new diagnostic and treatment options. Their scope of practice is overseen by: professional accreditation schemes employer appraisals professional obligations to stay current in their field While not all healthcare professionals specialise in women’s health, women’s health hubs provide a higher level of expertise and care. These hubs allow women to have in-depth discussions about their options prior to procedures and ensure access to specialist knowledge. By reducing regional variation in the quality of information and care provided, women’s health hubs are helping to address disparities and improve outcomes regardless of a woman’s initial point of access.