WOMEN in the North deserve reassurance from the new Health Minister that a long-awaited action plan on women’s health is going to materialise.
Poleglass woman Elaine Crory, is the Women’s Sector Lobbyist for the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, so has the remit to lobby on behalf of all women in the North, particularly disadvantaged women.
Elaine said women are tired of waiting to address “the huge inequalities” women experience in health.
“Especially disadvantaged women, women from working class communities, women living in precarious situations, or a health crisis like perinatal mental health issues or they are on a waiting list for a long time.
“There is a ten year wait for gynaecological services, which is shocking.
“The action plan should go in for the most urgent things that are discreetly and specifically impacting women the most, and the most marginalised women most of all.
“To invest in that, we need it now.”
A Women’s Health Action Plan, which falls short of a Women’s Health Strategy, was promised by former UUP Health Ministers Robin Swann, and Mike Nesbitt.
Elaine said it is important to women that a step by step strategy or plan is resourced.
“In the north, we are the only area anywhere on these two islands that doesn’t have a specific women’s health strategy.
“You have an action plan for how you are going to deal with inequalities and where you are going to put resources and staff and money and so forth.
“We were promised an action plan because there wasn’t the money for a full strategy.
“It’s not ideal but we have been holding out for this action plan to appear.”
She added: “Strategies can make a massive difference. The women’s health strategy in the south is really, really good. It is starting to turn the corner on the same kind of health inequalities we experience.
“In the north we have been dragging our feet.”
Elaine’s experiences in Cavan (where she is originally from) and Poleglass have highlighted the range of inequalities rural and urban women experience in terms of quality of life and life expectancy.
“There is an urgent need to address that,” she said.
Responding to the issues raised, a spokesperson from Stormont’s Department of Heath said “women’s health is a priority for Minister Butler” , adding that it “intends to publish the Women’s Health Action Plan by the end of 2026”.
