The beginning of our journey: Improving women's health in North Wales
25/07/2025
Colleagues and services from across the Health Board joined key partners and stakeholders to shape women’s health services in North Wales.
The June event, organised and led by Nia Boughton as clinical lead, marked the beginning of the Health Board’s journey to implement the Welsh Government’s Women’s Health Plan for Wales: a 10-year vision launched in December 2024 to improve healthcare services for women at every stage of life.
This national plan was developed in response to clear evidence of a gender health gap. While women tend to live longer, they spend more years in poor health, often facing delays in diagnosis and treatment, and too frequently feel unheard when seeking care. Informed by the voices of more than 4,000 women across Wales, the plan includes nearly 60 actions across eight priority areas, with initial focus on menstrual health, menopause and contraception.
Opening the local event, Angela Wood, Executive Director of Nursing and Senior Reporting Officer, welcomed attendees and set the tone for a morning of shared purpose and ambition, with a strong message:
“Improving women’s health isn’t the responsibility of a single service, department or organisation. It requires, collaboration, shared ownership and a collective commitment to change across the entire health and care system. When we work together, we can create real, lasting change for women and their families in North Wales. From prevention and early intervention to specialist services and community support, we all have a role to play in shaping better health outcomes for women.”
A powerful patient story from Anna Cooper, co-founder of the Menstrual Health Project highlighted why this work matters and what’s at stake if we don’t get it right.
Attendees also heard from a range of inspiring speakers from the Health Board who offered vital insight and direction, from regional data and national policy to opportunities for transforming women’s care through integrated pathways and services. Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) spoke about the importance of genuine co-production in shaping women’s health services and Emily Evans from the National Women’s Health Network, outlined the national vision for Women’s Health Hubs and what this could mean for North Wales.
Discussions on the day were designed to build momentum and ensure shared understanding of the next steps. These include establishing a Pathfinder Hub in North Wales and ensuring the local implementation plan is fully embedded within our Integrated Medium-Term Plans (IMTPs) as a Ministerial priority for 2025-26.
Carol Shillabeer closed the event with a clear and inspiring message that reinforced key expectations moving forward:
“I know from my own experiences how important it is that women feel heard and supported when it comes to their health, at different stages of their lives. Today’s event has been an opportunity to bring voices together and set the tone for real progress and change. That’s why we must take a consistent, inclusive approach to women’s health and ensure those voices continue to guide everything we do.”
The event was a meaningful start to what will be a long-term and wide-reaching programme of transformation. More importantly, it signalled our commitment to putting women’s voices and needs at the centre of how we design, deliver and improve their services, together with our partners and communities.
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