Text reading Women’s Health Wales / Iehcyd Menywod Cymru on a purple background with arrows and equals symbols running through it.

Updates on the Development of a NHS Wales Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan

Earlier this month we Chaired the first Annual General Meeting of the third sector Women’s Health Wales Coalition, where we were pleased to hear updates from the new Welsh Government Women’s Health Policy Team. Assurances were given that a new National Clinical Strategic Network for Women’s Health is in the process of being set up. The Strategic Network will be responsible for developing and delivering a 10-year Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan for Wales, with a focus on NHS services. However, as gender health inequalities extend beyond this – into education, training, the workplace, and more – there will need…

Read More

FTWW backs Welsh NHS Confederation call for conversation on future of nation’s health and wellbeing

32 organisations, including FTWW, have come together to support the Welsh NHS Confederation’s call for a cross-government national conversation on the future of health and wellbeing. The organisations, from a range of sectors in Wales, believe it is for all government departments, ministers and sectors to ask what they can do to support the health and wellbeing of people now and in the future. Read more here.  

Read More

Update from the Welsh Government’s Ministerial Disability Rights Taskforce

We’re delighted to bring you an update from the Disability Rights Taskforce, in which FTWW and our volunteers regularly participate. The Taskforce sends a big thank you to members of the working groups which have now concluded their deliberations, all of which have been Chaired by people with their own lived experience of disability. The working groups saw people with lived experience and expertise, disabled people’s organisations, and Welsh Government policy leads coming together to hear about the things that are important to disabled and chronically ill people and to think about how to remove barriers affecting their lives. Recommendations…

Read More

Becci is a white woman with short red and orange dyed hair. She is sat in her kitchen speaking to a reporter who is off camera.

PMDD: Becci Launches Petition

FTWW members and PMDD Champions, Becci and Laura, featured on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast regarding Becci’s Senedd Petition to improve care for the condition (1.35.00 on). Becci also talked to BBC Wales News Online and BBC Wales Today.  ITV’s This Morning programme also highlighted the campaign, and discussed PMDD in more detail, to help viewers understand symptoms. Watch here (from the 3.25 mark). Becci is calling for PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) to be part of core teaching for healthcare professionals in Wales, as the condition is so misunderstood and under-recognised. Please sign and share her petition, here.     

Read More

The Llais logo

Llais: First 100 Days

Since April 2023 the people of Wales have had a new independent body to help shape health and social care services.  Llais has been set up by the Welsh Government to raise the power and influence of the voices of people living in Wales, and we regularly recommend them to members of our community who feel a struggle to be heard.  FTWW is delighted to be having regular meetings with them to discuss ‘all things women’s health’. In the meantime, you can read about their first 100 days, here.   

Read More

Senedd Inquiry: Supporting People with Chronic Conditions – Responses Published

The Senedd Health & Social Care Committee has published responses to its inquiry into support for those living with chronic conditions in Wales. FTWW submitted feedback, noting that our members had provided some of the most powerful and compelling testimonies we have ever received for a consultation like this. With permission, we included some of their accounts.  We also responded on behalf of the Women’s Health Wales Coalition, and were pleased to see the Women’s Health Cross Party Group, chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS, advising that FTWW be sought out by the Committee for further evidence of patient experiences and…

Read More

The Endometriosis Cymru logo

Endometriosis.Cymru Update

FTWW is excited to be working with colleagues in Cardiff University and Proper Design to expand and update the Welsh Government and NHS-funded Endometriosis Cymru website.   We’ll be developing information about Wales’s endometriosis services, the social model of disability, and how to access further support outside of healthcare settings, as well as ensuring that the website is accessible and available in an Easy Read format. Watch this space for further updates and involvement opportunities!

Read More

Beth hands in the petition to the Senedd with Jenny Rathbone MS, supportive MSes and FTWWers

Don’t Delay, Vote Now! Endometriosis Petition to the Senedd Shortlisted for Petition of the Year

This month, voting opened on the Senedd’s Petition of the Year competition to recognise and celebrate the contribution of campaigners in Wales. FTWW is delighted to see that of volunteer, Beth, amongst the five notable petitions shortlisted by the Petitions Committee. The public is now being asked to vote for the one that has had the most impact on the people of Wales – closing date is 30th June. You can vote for Beth’s petition, ‘Improving Endometriosis Healthcare’ here.

Read More

Dee Dickens

Mental Health Inequalities debate in the Senedd

FTWW was pleased to support members to participate in the Advisory Group and attend the debate as audience members. The Advisory Group continues to hold the Government to account, with FTWW Trustee, Dee Dickens (pictured), quoted in a BBC report about the debate, which you can read here.

Read More

Jack Sargeant MS, Huw Irranca-Davies, John Griffiths MS and Dee Montague-Coast from FTWW

Endometriosis Action Month at The Senedd

March was one of our busiest Endometriosis Action Months yet! Engagement Officer Dee and Endometriosis UK’s Lizzie were joined by volunteers Rachel Joseph and Lowri Shepstone at a drop-in event at The Senedd for Senedd Members. The event was well attended, with so many Members keen to learn more and better support their constituents. We were delighted that Huw Irranca-Davies, Labour MS for Ogmore (pictured), followed up with a debate in the Senedd.

Read More

Endometriosis Action Month

Endometriosis and The Women & Girls’ Health Plan

March was Endometriosis Action Month, and we were delighted to join forced with our friends at Endometriosis UK to host a virtual event, chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS, on Thursday 23rd March. The focus of the event was on the NHS Wales and Welsh Government Women and Girls’ Health Plan for Wales and was an opportunity to hear from a guest panel of experts and patients who discussed what they would like to see included in the Plan, which is currently under development and due for publication this year. You can watch the event back here. 

Read More

The Welsh Government Logo

All Wales Menopause Task & Finish Group Report Published

In February, Welsh Government published an important report on menopause – the ‘All-Wales Menopause Task & Finish Group Final Report & Recommendations’. FTWW was delighted to support two of its volunteer patient representatives – Lisa Nicholls from South and Dawn Owen from North Wales – to take part, ensuring that the patient voice was heard alongside those of clinicians and government. Recommendations from the report include: the need for menopause to feature in the 10-year Women’s Health Plan for Wales currently under development  the need for more research into different aspects of the menopause  wider education and information on menopause…

Read More

#EmbracingEquity in female health – Our blog for WCVA

Thanks to WCVA for featuring our International Women’s Day blog, which explores the need to #EmbraceEquity in Health in Wales. FTWW’s members describe many & varied barriers to accessing optimum healthcare; our aim is to raise awareness and offer solutions! Read it here: https://wcva.cymru/views/embracingequity-in-female-health/

Read More

Endometriosis Action Month

Virtual Event – Endometriosis and The Women & Girls’ Health Plan

March is Endometriosis Action Month, and we are delighted to invite you to attend a virtual event on Thursday 23rd March from 6.00pm – 7.30pm. The event will be chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS. The focus of the event is on the NHS Wales and Welsh Government Women and Girls’ Health Plan for Wales and will be an opportunity to hear from a guest panel of experts and patients who will discuss what they would like to see included in the Plan which is currently under development and due for publication this year. Register for the event here. If you…

Read More

Ask your MS to meet us at The Senedd

As part of Endometriosis Action Month, FTWW be teaming up with Endometriosis UK later in March, when we’ll be inviting Members of the Senedd to come and find out more about endometriosis and what they can do to support their communities. Tag your MS in our tweet and ask them to come and see us! Not sure who to tag? Find your constituency and regional members here.

Read More

Endo March is BACK!

Worldwide EndoMarch is coming to Wales again. Cardiff will be the location for the South Wales event, with the march taking place on Sunday 26th March. We will be marching through the streets of Cardiff with the hope of promoting awareness for endometriosis, and the need for faster diagnosis, greater education, and more funds for research into better treatments and an eventual cure. Find out more and book your space here. 

Read More

FTWW Volunteer, Dee Dickens

Period Proud Launched

“That’s one of the reasons why I’m talking about it now, as I don’t want anyone else to go through this” – FTWW Volunteer Dee Dickens We are delighted that the Welsh Government has launched Period Proud, an intersectional plan that FTWW and volunteers – including Dee – have been involved in. As Dee highlights in her interview with WalesOnline, so many girls and young people who have periods miss out on education and recreational activities due to period poverty and lack of access to products, menstrual wellbeing education and support – all of which contribute to shame and stigma surrounding…

Read More

The Senedd building in Cardiff Bay

Members of the Senedd Echo FTWW Calls

We were encouraged this month to hear Members of the Senedd echo FTWW’s calls around Women’s Health during recent plenary sessions.  On the 18th January, Heledd Fychan MS raised concerns around the gender health gap, lack of investment in female health, intersectionality and the impact of the pandemic on women’s health to the Health Minister in a question a bout the Women’s Health Plan. Plenary 18/01/2023 – Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales) Rhun ap Iorwerth MS also asked questions about the WHSSC’s suggested changes to fertility services in Wales, echoing concerns around the consultation and the risk of removing access to those…

Read More

An Asian woman is having a mammogram, supported by a white female medical professional

Welsh Government Publishes Women’s Health ‘Discovery Document’

As part of the Welsh Government’s work on the Women’s Health Plan, officials have released a ‘Discovery’ document, highlighting the work undertaken so far to understand the needs of women in Wales by asking what matters to them.  As co-chairs of the Women’s Health Wales Coalition, which is made up of over 80 third sector organisations, Royal colleges, clinicians, and patients, we remain concerned that co-production with patients and public is properly embedded in all work related to the Women’s Health Plan and that Coalition members’ expertise is utilised throughout. This month we met with Welsh Government officials to share these concerns…

Read More

Disability History Month – Taskforce representation

16 November – 16 December is Disability History Month, and this year’s theme is Disability, Health and Well Being. The Covid Pandemic has demonstrated across the UK and around the world just how fragile the Rights disabled people have secured for themselves are, and this was of course highlighted in the Locked Out report. We are pleased therefore to continue our representation on Welsh Government’s co-produced Disability Rights Taskforce, representing members across a number of working groups – including Independent Living: Health and Wellbeing, which held its first meeting on 23 November and was Chaired by our very own trustee, Willow. 

Read More