New campaign aims to support healthcare access for women and girls
The campaign aims to make sure women and girls in the Forest of Dean are listened to when it comes to healthcare
The new Women and Girls’ Health Campaign has launched in the Forest of Dean. It aims to amplify the voices and lived experiences of women and girls to drive improvements in local healthcare.
The campaign began with a community conversation, offering a candid and supportive platform for women to share their healthcare experiences and raise concerns about issues such as access to maternity care, misdiagnosis, and lack of support.
Participants discussed challenges like home birthing, menopause care, and getting diagnoses for conditions such as endometriosis, emphasising the need for women to be listened to and their concerns taken seriously.
This marks the start of an ongoing initiative by Matt Bishop MP to identify healthcare gaps and ensure women have a direct voice in local improvements.
He said, ''I am grateful for all the women who attended this important event, and for their courage in sharing their personal experiences.
We heard some deeply moving stories, and it is clear that not only do things need to change around women’s access to and experience of healthcare, but that spaces where women feel heard and supported are important, too.''
The event reflected the importance of spaces where women can speak openly, informing future actions to address healthcare needs.