Latest news with #RaneeThakar
The Guardian
24-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Menstrual cycle data ‘underused' and should be on health records, experts say
Menstrual cycle data should be routinely documented by healthcare professionals and researchers as it can be used as an indicator for other health issues, experts have said. This information – which includes cycle length, regularity, intensity, and duration of bleeding – is not routinely collected in healthcare systems or research except when reproductive issues are being assessed. According to experts writing in the Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health, this lack of documentation has resulted in a relatively basic understanding of the impact of menstrual cycles on health, as well as the underdiagnosis and neglect of concerns related to menstruation such as pain and heavy bleeding. These menstrual cycle characteristics can be indicators for conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In England, information on a patient's menstrual cycle are not routinely collected by healthcare professionals, unlike other measures such as BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. More than a quarter of women in England are living with a serious reproductive health issue, according to the largest survey of its kind published this year, with experts saying that 'systemic, operational, structural and cultural issues' prevent women from accessing care. Almost a fifth (19%) of women who took part in the study experienced severe period pain in the last year, and 40% of respondents reported heavy menstrual bleeding. Last year, a report by the women and equalities parliamentary committee found that women and girls are enduring years of pain because their reproductive conditions are being dismissed due to 'medical misogyny'. Dr Ranee Thakar, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'Serious conditions like fibroids and endometriosis can have a devastating impact on almost every aspect of a person's life, including impacting their physical and mental health, and their ability to work and socialise. 'Too often systemic, operational, structural and cultural issues mean women do not get the care they deserve and our current system risks entrenching the health inequalities we can see in these findings.' The authors of the study concluded: 'The menstrual cycle is an underused but powerful tool for understanding gynaecological and general health. It functions as a vital sign across the lifespan, providing crucial information that can be used to guide and monitor clinical treatment and symptom management, and inform screening and preventive care. 'Recognising the menstrual cycle as an essential health indicator will strengthen health services and impact research across disciplines. Importantly, this recognition will also improve the health of women throughout their lives.' Period-tracking devices have been in demand in recent years, but there are concerns over personal data and information being used by private companies. Public health bodies such as the NHS have been urged to develop their own rival apps to protect data. NHS England have been approached for comment.
The Irish Sun
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Women being hit hardest by NHS delays as treatment backlogs grow across key services
WOMEN are being short-changed by the NHS and make up most of the waiting list, official figures show. New data from NHS England show that 57 per cent of patients waiting for treatment are female while 43 per cent are male. Advertisement 2 'Only by being upfront and shining a light on inequalities can we begin to tackle the problem', says Health Sec Wes Streeting Credit: Getty Women are waiting for 3.9million treatments, a million more than the 2.9m listed for men, while the remainder are uncategorised. Female patients also wait longer than males as statistics show they are less likely to be treated within the 18-week target time and more likely to wait over a year. Gynaecology, which looks after women's reproductive health, has the longest waiting list of any single department for working age people. Professor Ranee Thakar, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'This data is a vital step in addressing the postcode lottery in gynaecology care. Advertisement READ MORE ON HEALTH 'Delays can lead to a need for more complex treatment and significantly impact women's health, wellbeing, and daily lives. 'We know that our members are working tirelessly to deliver more appointments and so it is encouraging to see waiting lists begin to fall in recent months.' Overall, the NHS figures show patients living in working class areas, and those from black or Asian backgrounds, are more likely to face long waits. In a blow to the economy, 56 per cent of waiters are of working age – more than 3.5million people, with many unable to work while they wait. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive Exclusive Ear, nose and throat clinics have the biggest backlogs, with 616,000 procedures due to be completed. Ophthalmology and gynaecology both account for over 500,000 each, while cardiology and dermatology both have waiting lists of more than 400,000. Wes Streeting brutally slams Kemi AND Farage and demands Tories say sorry for how they ran the NHS in blistering attack Sharon Brennan, of National Voices, said: 'Being honest with the public is an important step to winning back the trust of communities who often feel unheard and sometimes unwanted.' Health Secretary Advertisement 2 Women are making up most of the NHS waiting list Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
17-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Women being hit hardest by NHS delays as treatment backlogs grow across key services
Scroll down to read those in society most likely to be affected by long waits WAIT LIST DELAY Women being hit hardest by NHS delays as treatment backlogs grow across key services WOMEN are being short-changed by the NHS and make up most of the waiting list, official figures show. New data from NHS England show that 57 per cent of patients waiting for treatment are female while 43 per cent are male. Advertisement 2 'Only by being upfront and shining a light on inequalities can we begin to tackle the problem', says Health Sec Wes Streeting Credit: Getty Women are waiting for 3.9million treatments, a million more than the 2.9m listed for men, while the remainder are uncategorised. Female patients also wait longer than males as statistics show they are less likely to be treated within the 18-week target time and more likely to wait over a year. Gynaecology, which looks after women's reproductive health, has the longest waiting list of any single department for working age people. Professor Ranee Thakar, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'This data is a vital step in addressing the postcode lottery in gynaecology care. Advertisement 'Delays can lead to a need for more complex treatment and significantly impact women's health, wellbeing, and daily lives. 'We know that our members are working tirelessly to deliver more appointments and so it is encouraging to see waiting lists begin to fall in recent months.' Overall, the NHS figures show patients living in working class areas, and those from black or Asian backgrounds, are more likely to face long waits. In a blow to the economy, 56 per cent of waiters are of working age – more than 3.5million people, with many unable to work while they wait. Advertisement Ear, nose and throat clinics have the biggest backlogs, with 616,000 procedures due to be completed. Ophthalmology and gynaecology both account for over 500,000 each, while cardiology and dermatology both have waiting lists of more than 400,000. Wes Streeting brutally slams Kemi AND Farage and demands Tories say sorry for how they ran the NHS in blistering attack Sharon Brennan, of National Voices, said: 'Being honest with the public is an important step to winning back the trust of communities who often feel unheard and sometimes unwanted.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Only by being upfront and shining a light on inequalities can we begin to tackle the problem.' Advertisement
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Women being hit hardest by NHS delays as treatment backlogs grow across key services
WOMEN are being short-changed by the NHS and make up most of the waiting list, official figures show. New data from NHS England show that 57 per cent of patients waiting for treatment are female while 43 per cent are male. 2 Women are waiting for 3.9million treatments, a million more than the 2.9m listed for men, while the remainder are uncategorised. Female patients also wait longer than males as statistics show they are less likely to be treated within the 18-week target time and more likely to wait over a year. Gynaecology, which looks after women's reproductive health, has the longest waiting list of any single department for working age people. Professor Ranee Thakar, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'This data is a vital step in addressing the postcode lottery in gynaecology care. 'Delays can lead to a need for more complex treatment and significantly impact women's health, wellbeing, and daily lives. 'We know that our members are working tirelessly to deliver more appointments and so it is encouraging to see waiting lists begin to fall in recent months.' Overall, the NHS figures show patients living in working class areas, and those from black or Asian backgrounds, are more likely to face long waits. In a blow to the economy, 56 per cent of waiters are of working age – more than 3.5million people, with many unable to work while they wait. Ear, nose and throat clinics have the biggest backlogs, with 616,000 procedures due to be completed. Ophthalmology and gynaecology both account for over 500,000 each, while cardiology and dermatology both have waiting lists of more than 400,000. Wes Streeting brutally slams Kemi AND Farage and demands Tories say sorry for how they ran the NHS in blistering attack Sharon Brennan, of National Voices, said: 'Being honest with the public is an important step to winning back the trust of communities who often feel unheard and sometimes unwanted.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Only by being upfront and shining a light on inequalities can we begin to tackle the problem.'
South Wales Guardian
12-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
NHS programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth to be rolled out nationally
The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth, the DHSC added. The Government programme, which will begin from September and follows a development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy, according to the DHSC. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. 'This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries. 'Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women's voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.' The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. The pilot has shown the programme will fill a gap in current training by bringing multi-disciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively to improve outcomes, the DHSC said. It added that the programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action in managing an emergency during labour. It is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 'The ABC programme supports multi-disciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. 'Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives chief executive, said: 'Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. 'Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said: 'The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes. 'Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.' Professor Donald Peebles, national clinical director for maternity, NHS England, said: 'The national implementation of the ABC programme will make a huge difference to babies and their families, helping to prevent the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries and ensure more healthy babies are returning home with their families. 'This is hugely welcome news for maternity teams across the country who are set to benefit from this important training programme that will help ensure women and babies receive high quality, safe and personalised care.'
