The Department for Health and Social Care has today published the first ever government-led Women’s Health Strategy for England.
Following a call for evidence which generated almost 100,000 responses from individuals across England, the strategy sets bold ambitions to tackle deep rooted, systemic issues within the health and care system to improve the health and wellbeing of women and, reset how the health and care system listens to women.
The focus on pregnancy loss and baby deaths in the Women’s Health Strategy’s is positive, and shines a much needed spotlight on these issues. However, more is needed to meet the ambition to make the UK the safest country in the world to have a baby, and ensure all bereaved parents receive the care and support they need.
“We welcome the introduction of Pregnancy Loss Certificates as an important option for those bereaved parents who want them, as many have told us they do, and see this as a valuable first step."
- Clea Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands
More support needed to improve bereavement care
Sands is working hard, in collaboration with others, to improve bereavement care for parents through the National Bereavement Care Pathway, which has been shown to make a big difference to the lives of anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby and recently received commitment from the 100th Trust in England.
"While the Strategy notes the Government’s support for the Pathway and encourages trusts to commit to it, encouragement is not enough. We are disappointed the Pathway will not be made mandatory to ensure all trusts have the resources and support needed to fully implement it."
- Clea Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands
Through our Joint Policy Unit with Tommy’s Sands is committed to working with government to secure policy change that will reduce rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, pre-term birth and neonatal death, and to eliminate inequalities in these outcomes.