The economic case for investing in England's women's health services - new report
The economic case for investing in England's women's health services - new report
Just £1 invested in obstetrics and gynaecology services per woman in England could generate an estimated £319 million return to the economy.
Every additional £1 invested in England’s obstetrics and gynaecology services could generate a return on investment of £11, says a new report released today from the NHS Confederation, Create Health Foundation and London Economics.
Just £1 per woman in England would be enough to generate an estimated £319 million return to the economy, according to the report: ‘Women’s health economics: investing in the 51 per cent.’
The new analysis comes as gynaecology waiting lists are at crisis point with over three quarters of a million women in the UK waiting for gynaecology hospital care.
The report now calls upon government and national bodies to take action to ringfence funding to support the remaining eight years of the Women’s Health Strategy for England, distribute additional funding based on regional variations in need and commit to annual increases in public research funding for women’s health.
It also calls for the collection of disaggregated data to capture the intersecting inequalities in women's lives, and improved education and training for medical professionals to better address conditions that specifically affect women as well as those that affect men and women differently.
Commenting on the report’s findings Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation said:
“This report highlights the urgent need for sustainable funding to support the 10-year Women’s Health Strategy for England and women’s health more broadly. The findings demonstrate that investing in women’s health services is not merely a matter of improving health outcomes; there is also an economic imperative that has far-reaching benefits across our society.
“Investment in women's health services can yield an estimated return of £11 for every additional £1 spent per woman in England, showcasing the economic viability of such a commitment. By addressing women’s health more effectively, we can alleviate substantial economic burdens, such as absenteeism and lost productivity in the workplace, ultimately benefiting businesses and the economy as a whole. But most importantly these measures would help to ensure that every woman gets the support they deserve when they are faced with health challenges.
“Now is the time for decisive action, and we urge the government to include these critical measures in their 10-year health plan.”
A range of conditions are not being treated effectively
The report uncovered numerous examples of where women’s health is impacting the economy as well as health:
Absenteeism from work due to heavy and painful periods, endometriosis, fibroids and ovarian cysts costs the UK economy nearly £11 billion every year.
Around 60,000 women in the UK are unable to work because of the impact of menopause symptoms on their overall physical and mental health.
If those women were to enter employment, earning the average wage of a woman of menopausal age in employment, this could generate an increase in direct economic impact of approximately £1.5 billion per annum.
Professor Geeta Nargund, founder of Create Health Foundation and senior NHS consultant said:
“Our report’s findings are unequivocal; women’s health issues and the disparity in gynaecological care, represent a pressing public health challenge and one that is directly impacting our nation’s economy. Severe period pain alone costs the UK £3.7 billion annually in absenteeism, while severe perimenopause and menopause symptoms are estimated to result in £191.0 million in lost productivity per year."
“In light of these stark findings, it is imperative that our new government urgently reviews investment to support the Women’s Health Strategy beyond March 2025.
The report emphasises that while tackling existing inequalities may require upfront funding, this investment pales in comparison to the escalating costs borne by the NHS and society at large from neglecting the health of 51% of the population.
A correlation was also identified between socioeconomic factors and access to women’s health services as well as women’s health outcomes. Local authorities with more ethnically diverse populations were found to experience poorer access to the women’s health services, while areas with higher levels of deprivation reported worse overall health outcomes for women.
Economic pressure to act?
The NHS Confederation report follows McKinsey analysis earlier in 2024 which highlighted that investing in women’s health could boost the global economy by at least $1 trillion a year by 2040. That report, 'Closing the women's health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies’ found that while women live longer on average than men, they spend more of their lives in poor health and that nearly 50% of the health burden affects women of working age.
Yet as today’s report also concludes, the economic rationale shouldn’t be the only one considered when it comes to investing in women’s health:
“Despite this report’s focus on the relationship between women’s health and economic growth, and the undeniable economic benefits that further investment in women’s health pose, the case for further investment in women’s health is not just about the economy. Health impacts every element of our lives, and access to equitable healthcare that is of appropriate quality and provided without bias or discrimination is a human right that should be protected and guaranteed regardless of the economic benefits it poses to society.
“While we have made a ROI case, at the heart of this evidence is a view that women have a right to a good quality of life that allows them to participate fully and equally in society.”