In March 2021, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health launched a call for evidence to gather women’s experiences of healthcare in England. The results of the study painted a portrait of frustration and disempowerment in women across NHS England. This also mirrors findings in the US and other countries.
There are multiple unmet user needs at various points in a female patients’ journey throughout the healthcare ecosystem and the goal of this report is to propose recommendations and opportunities for developers of digital health solutions to meet these needs.
Recommendations include how to address:
- Health information needs by focusing on certain topics and forms of delivery that work for women
- Ways that digital solutions can bolster women’s voices which are currently dismissed by GPs (primary care physicians)
- How digital solutions can assist with inadequate access to services and treatments focused on female health