Half of female patients say their concerns have been dismissed
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned that the NHS is failing many women due to what he described as “medical misogyny”, after new research revealed widespread experiences of female patients feeling ignored or dismissed by healthcare professionals. The findings have reignited debate over gender bias in healthcare and the need for systemic reforms across the NHS.
The concerns emerged from a major survey conducted by the online parenting platform Mumsnet, which analysed more than a decade of discussions and feedback from women using the site. The research suggests that many female patients believe their symptoms and pain are not taken seriously by clinicians, raising questions about entrenched gender bias within healthcare systems.
Survey reveals widespread patient frustration
According to the survey, around half of women (50%) reported feeling ignored, dismissed or not believed by an NHS professional because of their sex. Meanwhile, 64% said they had been told their symptoms were “normal” or “in their head”, while 68% felt the NHS does not take women’s health concerns seriously enough.
The findings suggest that women with conditions such as chronic pain, reproductive health issues or hormonal disorders may experience delays in diagnosis or treatment due to the minimisation of symptoms. Campaigners say this pattern reflects a broader issue in medicine, where research and clinical frameworks have historically been built around male physiology, leaving gaps in understanding women’s health conditions.
Streeting acknowledges systemic problems
Responding to the report, Streeting acknowledged that the NHS has “let women down” for many years and admitted that structural inequalities still affect healthcare outcomes for female patients.
He argued that addressing these disparities is a priority for the government and said several initiatives are being developed to improve women’s healthcare services. These include increased investment in specialist women’s health clinics, improved menopause support and expanding community-based services aimed at improving access to care. Streeting also pointed to the introduction of Martha’s Rule, a policy allowing patients or families to request an urgent second medical opinion if they believe a condition is being overlooked. The policy was introduced after a high-profile patient safety campaign and is designed to strengthen patient advocacy within hospitals.
Digital health tools could help close the gender gap
Experts say healthcare technology could play an important role in addressing gender bias in clinical decision-making. Digital patient records, AI-driven diagnostics and population health analytics may help clinicians detect patterns in symptoms and disease progression that were previously overlooked. For example, large-scale health datasets can identify diagnostic delays affecting specific demographic groups, enabling health systems to design targeted interventions.
AI-enabled decision-support tools are also being explored to help clinicians recognise conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as endometriosis, autoimmune diseases and certain cardiovascular disorders. However, experts warn that digital systems must be carefully designed to avoid reinforcing existing biases if underlying datasets remain incomplete or skewed.
Wider concerns about women’s healthcare
The debate over “medical misogyny” comes amid broader scrutiny of women’s healthcare in the UK. Recent reports have highlighted problems in areas such as maternity care, reproductive health services and treatment for conditions including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Women’s health advocates argue that delayed diagnosis for many conditions is common, with some patients reporting years of symptoms before receiving a confirmed diagnosis. The issue has also attracted attention from policymakers, with the UK government previously launching a Women’s Health Strategy aimed at improving diagnosis, research and access to specialist services.
Building a more inclusive healthcare system
Health policy experts say addressing gender inequality in healthcare requires a combination of cultural change, improved medical education and stronger data collection on women’s health outcomes. Training programmes aimed at raising awareness of unconscious bias among clinicians have been proposed as one potential solution. Others suggest that increasing funding for research into female-specific conditions could help close knowledge gaps that currently affect diagnosis and treatment.
For Streeting, the survey highlights the importance of ensuring the NHS listens more closely to women’s experiences of care. While the health secretary has acknowledged progress in some areas, the findings suggest that many patients still feel their voices are not being heard within the healthcare system. As policymakers seek to modernise the NHS through digital innovation and service reforms, addressing gender disparities in healthcare may become a key test of whether the system can deliver truly equitable care for all patients.
