Cheshire and Merseyside Recognised in Renewed Women’s Health Strategy
The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, published 15 April 2026, sets out a decisive shift to put women’s voices, choice and experience at the heart of healthcare.
Nationally, the strategy commits to listening to women more effectively, tackling inequities in access and outcomes, and removing practices that have left too many women unheard or in pain.
We are proud that this landmark strategy includes a case study from Cheshire and Merseyside (page 25), recognising the leadership and impact of work delivered through the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s Health and Maternity Programme.
National priorities, delivered locally.
As highlighted in the government press release, the renewed strategy prioritises:
- putting women’s feedback at the centre of decision‑making, including exploring how women’s experiences can directly drive service improvement
- streamlining gynaecology pathways to cut waiting times for conditions such as endometriosis and fibroids
- introducing clear standards to ensure appropriate pain relief is offered for gynaecological procedures
- expanding care in community settings, including women’s health hubs and neighbourhood services.
These ambitions closely align with the work already underway across Cheshire and Merseyside.
A national example from Cheshire and Merseyside
The featured case study highlights our system‑wide programme to expand access to long‑acting reversible contraception (LARC) across all nine Places. Through pilot funding, workforce training, and a focus on areas of highest need, care is being delivered closer to home in primary care, reducing variation and improving women’s experience.
Early evaluation shows strong patient satisfaction, growing uptake and emerging system‑wide benefits, with services now embedding LARC as a core offer within local Women’s Health Hubs. This work directly supports the strategy’s national ambition to improve access, reduce inequalities and ensure women are listened to and supported earlier.
Looking ahead
Responding to the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, Catherine McClennan, Programme Director for the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s Health and Maternity Programme stated,
“This national recognition reinforces Cheshire and Merseyside’s role in leading meaningful change for women’s health.
“We will continue to build on this momentum, working with services, system partners and communities to deliver on the renewed strategy’s vision, ensuring women across our region receive compassionate, accessible and high‑quality care.”
If you would like to get involved with our Women’s Health Voices programme, or find more about our work please email the team at wham.engagement@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk.