Debate contribution: Women's Health Strategy

Debate contribution by Mrs Deborah Erskine on 13 February 2024.

MLA

Mrs Deborah Erskine

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

13 February 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Women's Health Strategy

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4206253

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Mr Deputy Speaker, hopefully, I will get some latitude as well. I congratulate you on your new role. I also congratulate the Minister. I am not sure whether he is glad or sad that I am off the Health Committee. I will let him decide. I thank those who tabled the motion for shining a spotlight on this very important issue. It is undeniable that women and girls have lifelong health needs and risks that are not the same as those of men. That includes managing periods and menopause symptoms and being uniquely predisposed to chronic conditions such as heart disease, particular forms of cancer and diabetes. That is why I am glad that the amendment specifically mentions the gender gap in cardiovascular outcomes. We must not forget the extra financial cost to women of managing periods and menopause symptoms. It must be pointed out that, without adequate health support, women can often find themselves in need of extra time off work and, in severe cases, having to leave the workforce altogether. Simple intervention and support within our medical professions and workforces could prevent that from happening. The duty is not just on the Health Department; it is a cross-departmental issue, and I am glad that the motion points to that cross-departmental element. There is a need for women and girls in Northern Ireland to have better, more accurate and more timely information to support their needs as they face these challenges. It is simply unacceptable that women face crippling anxiety and sleepless nights because of being forced to do their own research to figure out how to access the right support. We know that a women's health strategy is in place in England and that there is a women's health plan for Scotland, and it is my understanding that Ministers are in the process of producing a similar document in Wales. Northern Ireland should not be left behind in identifying the issues and tackling them head on. Furthermore, it is important that any women's health strategy does not fall victim to the pitfalls elsewhere. We need to take account of our unique position in Northern Ireland and the role that our health trusts, education system and the councils can play, as well as that which our community and voluntary sector can play, providing a vital role in our communities, and particularly in deprived communities. It is crucial that we do not raise expectations only to have an eventual strategy fall flat. Clear metric indicators are needed for measuring success, and strong levels of accountability need to be built in. That is even more important if the strategy has a lifetime of three, five or 10 years, to make sure that it does what it says on the tin. We must ensure that a strategy also complements any forthcoming anti-poverty strategy, prevention of violence against women and girls strategy and any other health strategy, so that there is no divergence in policy. Ultimately, a women's health strategy for Northern Ireland will succeed only if there is wholesale buy-in from our communities, healthcare professionals and women themselves. The stigma that is sometimes associated with menopause and endometriosis must be addressed. Even in primary care, we need to ensure that GPs and other front-line health staff are trained and have a better understanding of the toll that those conditions take from an early age, so that the right care and treatment can be provided to the women and girls who are affected.

I thank the Member for her intervention. It is cross-departmental. Certainly, the earlier that we can get education for young girls, the easier that it will be to go forward with this. Most women just want to be listened to and heard. Many of us who have gone to the doctor feared that our concerns and symptoms would not be recognised and that action would not be taken. I hope that today is the start of ensuring that women and girls across Northern Ireland have the right access at the right time with the right education in place, so that we can build healthy communities. I therefore support the motion and the amendment, and I look forward to seeing progress.

700 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:35 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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