Minister: Fake news to suggest women’s health hubs face cuts or closure
Minister: Fake news to suggest women’s health hubs face cuts or closure
Share:
A health minister claimed it is “fake news” to suggest women’s health hubs face being closed or cut by the Government. Concerns were raised about why a pledge to establish a hub in each region has not been renewed in 2025/26 NHS planning guidance, which led to suggestions of a “downgrading” of women in the health service.
Labour frontbencher Karin Smyth said the 2024/25 objective had been met in 39 out of 42 areas in England and insisted they are “staying” despite the absence of the target. The hubs are designed to bring together healthcare professionals and existing services to provide integrated women’s health services in the community.
Shadow minister for women Mims Davies used an urgent question in the House of Commons to highlight concerns that 600,000 women on waiting lists in England could be affected if the requirement for each region to have a hub was removed. Ms Smyth told the House: “There was a target in last year’s planning guidance to roll out pilot women’s health hubs across the country by last December.
“Today there are at least 80 hubs and at least nine out of every 10 integrated care systems has an open women’s health hub. “Let me correct some fake news: we are not closing them, we are not cutting them. The target to roll them out was in last year’s planning guidance, it was achieved in 93% of integrated care systems and that is why the target is not repeated in this year’s – it has been met in 39 out of 42 areas.
“Today we have slimmed down the number of targets for the NHS to focus on fixing the fundamentals, the system they (the Conservatives) broke. We’re instructing the NHS to prioritise cutting waiting times for operations, A&E and ambulances, making it easier to see a GP or a dentist and improving the mental health of the nation.”.
