Women often put off seeking health care due to normalisation of their pain

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

Women are too often put off seeking health care treatment due to the normalisation of their physical and emotional pain, a Senedd member warned.

Leading a debate on women’s health, Delyth Jewell said: “The pain suffered by women in their health care can be physical, it can also be psychological.

“It is unacceptable, it is costing lives … women make up half our population – their suffering should not be treated as normal.”

Ms Jewell challenged an expectation on women to put up with pain from procedures such as smear tests, coil fittings and hysteroscopies.

Her motion called for obligations relating to women’s health to be put on a legal footing.

She described normalising period pain as particularly cruel as it teaches girls from a very young age that pain is an inescapable part of their lives.

‘Stubbornly grim’

The Plaid Cymru politician described statistics for gynaecological cancers as “stubbornly grim”, saying it can partly be put down to women feeling they will not be believed.

She said a study showed a quarter of women in Wales visited the GP three or more times before being referred for tests and a third waited at least three months for diagnosis.

Her motion also called on the Welsh Government to strengthen expectations for health boards in the quality statement for women’s and girls’ health.

She urged ministers to introduce a duty on health care providers to collect patient feedback, particularly in gynaecological, midwifery, postnatal, mental health and menopause services.

Ms Jewell raised concerns about a lack of research and understanding of debilitating conditions affecting women such as endometriosis.

‘Gaslighting’

She said: “Women are too often either gaslit, told not to worry, to wait and see if things get worse, or they’re psychologised asked whether they suffer with anxiety.

“In procedures, the pain that is inflicted on women is accepted as normal, downplayed. And the pain women speak about, or seek help for, is also lessened.”

Warning of “alarmingly” low take-up rates of smear tests, Ms Jewell put this down to the awkwardness and uncomfortableness of the procedure.

She said the lack of a dedicated women and girls’ health plan in Wales is unquestionably part of the problem, pointing to examples in Norway, Sweden, Canada and Scotland.

‘Grin and bear it’

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas cautioned it is considered normal for women to live in discomfort and pain, with “grin and bear it” often the default advice.

Ms Thomas highlighted Claire’s campaign, which was launched after she was diagnosed with gynaecological cancers two years after first raising her symptoms.

She praised the campaigner for fighting for culture change in the health service.

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams focused on the importance of improving menopause services and education to break a historical taboo.

She said women are too often made to feel like a nuisance and give up seeking treatment.

Natasha Asghar, a Conservative, focused on breast cancer, warning women face waiting years for reconstructive surgery which can have a severe impact on mental health.

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan pointed to pledges to put a women’s health plan in place in 2023, saying it should now be being implemented.

‘Trivialised’

Joyce Watson, who represents Mid and West Wales, said women’s experiences of pain have been trivialised or dismissed for too long due to systematic failure.

Sarah Murphy, for the Welsh Government, said women’s health continues to be a priority.

The mental health minister, who came into post over summer, told the Senedd she has set herself a deadline of bringing forward a plan on December 10.

She stressed women’s voices will be at the heart of the plan.

Ms Murphy shared concerns about the normalisation of women’s physical and emotional pain, supporting the principles underpinning the motion.

But, importantly, the minister disagreed with the need for legislative change.

The non-binding motion was unanimously agreed following the debate on October 2.