‘I’m not being listened to’ – new health plan launched as women say they are still ignored

‘I’m not being listened to’ – new health plan launched as women say they are still ignored

Zoe Trafford, a hairdresser in Liverpool, often found herself acting as a counselor for her clients. But she described a turning point when the roles reversed—her salon guests became the ones hearing her concerns. Zoe has lived with endometriosis since her teenage years, a condition that brings intense pain and heavy bleeding. For years, medical professionals dismissed her symptoms as “just bad periods.” She first shared her story with the BBC in 2022, when the Conservative government introduced a women’s health strategy for England.

That plan aimed to “significantly enhance” how the healthcare system engaged with women, prioritizing better outcomes. Yet four years later, under a Labour administration, the strategy has been revised, but Zoe’s experience highlights persistent challenges. Her life has changed drastically: she underwent major surgery, losing her womb and part of her bowel, and now drains her own bladder with a small tube. “I’m not being heard,” she says. “I’ve had the surgery, but complications keep worsening.”

“You’ll be fine, it’s just normal,” doctors would tell her. “But it’s not normal—I don’t think pain is normal.”

The updated strategy faces criticism for failing to address the ongoing neglect of women’s health in the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged that some women feel like “second-class citizens” due to their pain being seen as an inconvenience and symptoms dismissed as overreactions. “The system is clearly not working for women,” he said.

BBC analysis reveals a concerning trend: the number of women waiting for gynaecological procedures in England doubled between February 2020 and January 2026, reaching over 565,000. While waiting lists for other treatments rose by 58%, the gynaecology sector saw a much sharper increase. To tackle this, the government announced a “patient power payment” scheme, which will use feedback to allocate funding and penalize providers with poor performance. Gynaecology is the first area to trial the program, with plans to expand it to other conditions.

Other measures include a streamlined referral process and a new standard for pain management during invasive procedures. However, Dr Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, called the situation “deeply concerning” despite the government’s promises. “With over 565,000 women still waiting for care, we need to embed Women’s Health Hubs within local health networks,” she added.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society expressed skepticism, noting the absence of a national plan for specialist services for the condition. Endometriosis UK’s Emma Cox emphasized that the average diagnosis time of more than nine years is “totally unacceptable,” urging a clear timeline for implementation. Meanwhile, the Scottish government has advanced its own phase-two women’s health strategy, launched in 2021, to ensure timely access to care. Wales, too, introduced a plan in 2024 with the goal of “closing the gender health gap.”