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Period problems, women's health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims are among the government's priorities for women's health in 2024, which Health Secretary Victoria Atkins announced at the Women's Health Summit on Wednesday. Organised in central London, the event marked the second year of the landmark Women's Health Strategy for England. Victoria joined women's health champions to celebrate successes of strategy's first year and outlined plans for coming year, which also include improving maternity care and support for mothers who suffer birth trauma. Successes achieved over the strategy's first 12 months include reducing the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for nearly half a million women and the rollout of specialist women's health hubs in every local health area. A new dedicated women's health section of the NHS website was also created, providing updated information, advice and practical resources for women's health across the life course.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has introduced a new prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which is said to benefit around 400,000 women who suffer from negative symptoms of the menopause in England. PPC will be rolled-out from 1 April and it reduce the HRT costs to less than £20 a year. Women prescribed HRT - the main treatment for menopause symptoms - will have access to a new scheme enabling access to a year's worth of menopause prescription items for the cost of two single prescription charges (currently £18.70). As part of commitments to reduce the cost of HRT for menopausal women, the prescription PPC will be valid for 12 months. It can be used against a list of HRT prescription items, and a patient can use this against an unlimited number of HRT items, such as patches, tablets and topical preparations. There will be no limit to how many times the certificate can be used while it is valid. "The introduction of the certificate delivers one of our year one priorities for the Women's Health Strategy for England. Published last summer, the strategy sets out an ambitious new agenda for improving the health and wellbeing of women and girls and to improve how the health and care system listens to women. Menopause was announced as a priority area within the strategy," said DHSC.

More than 500,000 women in England have benefitted from cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) since the launch of the HRT prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) on 1 April last year, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). HRT is the main treatment for negative menopause symptoms that can impact all areas of a woman's life. Introduced as part of the government's Women's Health Strategy, which made menopause a priority area, the HRT PPC reduced prescription costs to just £19.30 per year, helping patients save hundreds of pounds in prescription charges. The DHSC has confirmed that more than £11 million was saved by women using the PPC in the last nine months. Using the HRT PPC, patients can get a range of HRT items, including patches, tablets, and topical preparations at reduced prices, and they can use it many times as needed throughout the year.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), led by Victoria Atkins MP and Maria Caulfield MP, has unveiled proposed updates to the NHS Constitution for England, aiming to fortify the principles of privacy, dignity, and safety for all patients. Martha's rule was prompted by a campaign led by the parents of 13-year-old Martha Mills who tragically succumbed to sepsis after staff at King's College Hospital failed to escalate her care to intensive care, despite her family's pleas regarding her worsening condition in 2021. Under the new guidance is the introduction of Martha's Rule, empowering patients to request intimate care from someone of the same biological sex ensuring that the distinct needs of men and women are recognized and addressed. Patients and their loved ones can exercise the right to "access to a rapid review from outside the care team if the patient is deteriorating." The consultation on the proposed updates is set to run for eight weeks, inviting feedback from patients, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders for a review

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has unveiled proposed updates to the NHS Constitution for England, signalling a significant step forward in prioritizing patient privacy, dignity, and safety. At the heart of these reforms lies Martha's Rule, a testament to the power of grassroots advocacy and the enduring legacy of 13-year-old Martha Mills. Martha's Rule, born from the tragic loss of Martha Mills due to a failure in escalating her care, stands as a beacon of hope for future patients and their families. Prompted by Martha's parents' tireless campaign, this rule empowers patients to request intimate care from providers of the same biological sex, ensuring that individual needs are recognized and respected. Additionally, it guarantees the right to a rapid review from an external care team when a patient's condition deteriorates, offering a lifeline in moments of crisis.