Empowering Women in Healthcare Settings

The UK has the largest gender health gap in the G20 and ranks 12th globally. Despite this, investment into women’s healthcare research is worryingly low

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in Politics Home

Less than three percent of publicly funded research is dedicated to reproductive health, even though one in three women will experience related issues in their lifetime. Women are 50% more likely than men to receive an incorrect initial diagnosis when experiencing a heart attack, and the average time to receive an endometriosis diagnosis is over eight years.

Women’s health issues also have a significant economic impact. Each year, the UK loses 150 million working days due to poor women’s health and inadequate support. This burden is amplified by the fact that women make up 77% of the NHS workforce and 85% of social workers. Menopause is another key area of concern, with NHS Confederation analysis revealing that around 60,000 women in the UK are unable to work due to the physical and mental toll of menopause symptoms.

A consistent theme across women’s healthcare is that women’s pain and concerns are too often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or attributed to emotional causes. Government research revealed that 84% of women feel they are not always listened to by healthcare professionals. To begin closing the gender health gap, practice managers have a vital role to play in shaping more equitable, responsive care.

Investing in Gender Bias Training

Practice managers can drive change by introducing regular, mandatory training focused on identifying and addressing gender bias in healthcare. This training should be extended to all staff, including administrative and support staff, to ensure every patient interaction is informed by an understanding of the biases that disproportionately affect women. Training should include real-life scenarios, intersectional perspectives and strategies for improving communication and diagnosis accuracy.

Creating Systems to Follow Up on Patient Concerns

Practice managers should implement structured processes to ensure all patient concerns and complaints are followed up consistently and thoroughly. This might include flagging cases where patients return multiple times with the same issue, establishing a dedicated point of contact for unresolved health queries and encouraging open dialogue about misdiagnoses or delays in care. Embedding a culture of listening and accountability is essential to rebuilding trust and improving outcomes.

Empowering Women to Advocate for Their Health

Empowering female patients to advocate for themselves starts with information and support. Practice managers can ensure that staff actively encourage patients to ask questions, seek second opinions and access relevant educational resources. Clinics should also provide materials that help patients understand common conditions that disproportionately affect women and connect them with support groups and advocacy networks.

By prioritising training, accountability and patient empowerment, practice managers can lead the way in tackling the gender health gap – making healthcare more inclusive, equitable, and effective for all women.