The launch of the Women and Girls' Health Hub in Greenwich marks an important step forward in women's health. Designed to address barriers to care, the hub aims to ensure that women and girls receive the care they need when they need it. But for the hub to succeed, deep-rooted challenges must be addressed to create a more accessible, inclusive and responsive service.
Listening to women and girls: the starting point for change
One of the most powerful moments during the launch was the testimony of a Greenwich resident who, after seeking support, was often made to feel that "the pain [she] was experiencing wasn't real". Her story reflects a broader pattern of women's health concerns being dismissed or downplayed- an issue that the new health hub aims to address head-on.
The hub's model is rooted in actively listening to the experiences of women and girls to help shape its services and is a crucial first step to creating patient-centred care. However, as the hub continues to strengthen its delivery, building on these efforts will be crucial to ensuring support remains relevant, effective, and responsive to community needs.
To achieve this, it is essential to foster ongoing dialogue and meaningful engagement with patients in trusted community spaces. This approach not only builds trust and encourages open communication but can help identify any gaps in the service, ensuring the hub not only addresses current challenges faced by communities but anticipates future needs. Furthermore, conducting regular and comprehensive evaluations on service use and the specific needs of patients—will help to strengthen this process.
Simplifying access to care
Before the launch of the hub, women needed to get referred to women's health services by their GP. To simplify access to this care, the hub has implemented a self-referral system, allowing patients the flexibility to book appointments for multiple services all in one visit. This is an important step to not just improving convenience but empowering patients to have more control over their care.
To further simplify this process, it is important to expand the options offered to complete a self-referral. This could include the introduction of a telephone booking system, designed specifically for people who may face challenges using digital health services. This option would create a more inclusive pathway, ensuring that all patients, particularly those lacking digital skills or access to technology, can easily connect with the hub and receive the support they need.
Bridging information gaps
Many women and girls find themselves lost within the system due to a lack of clear information and signposting. While online resources can be helpful, they are not always effective or reliable. To address this, the hub has created an online portal which aims to offer simplified information for both patients and providers. Here, women and girls can access details on various health concerns and book directly into services. Similarly, the portal will soon offer providers guidance on best practices and pathways to assist their patients in their care.
However, achieving equitable care requires more than just centralising information. The information provided must be accessible. An important part of this process will be to offer resources in various community languages and formats to meet the diverse needs of patients. Additionally, outreach initiatives should be enhanced to ensure that residents who face digital exclusion can access the care and support they need. While the hub has begun these initiatives, including working with young ambassadors to offer peer-led support, there is a strong recommendation to further strengthen this rollout into additional community spaces.
The cost of accessing care
The financial burden of traveling to appointments and time taken off work and other commitments to attend appointments are significant barriers to care. Recognising these challenges, the hub is committed to improving accessibility by offering a wider range of appointment options and is currently offering a dedicated Saturday appointment for those who can't attend standard weekday appointments. Expanding this offer to include more appointment slots outside standard weekday times, including evening appointments, will improve accessibility.
In addition to expanding appointment availability, the hub is actively collaborating with community gynaecology services, acute trusts, and primary care settings to enhance the availability of care within community spaces, ensuring patients have greater access to support. To strengthen these efforts, it is essential to collaborate with local voluntary sector services to enhance resource provision and support, as these services may be more accessible and embedded within community spaces than traditional services.
Building a trusted and recognisable service
To establish the hub as a cornerstone of local care, it must earn the trust of residents. A key long-term goal for the hub is to expand its services throughout Greenwich, creating a consistent and reliable presence in the community. To build this trust, the hub needs to collaborate closely with local services to raise awareness and foster confidence. This effort will involve leveraging the support of trusted community ambassadors and voluntary sector organisations that have already built strong connections within the area. By actively engaging with community experts, the hub will remain responsive to the evolving needs of residents.
Next Steps
The launch of the Women and Girls' Health Hub is a promising development, but to truly create an equitable service, systemic barriers must be addressed. This involves not just creating a new service but rethinking existing practices that may inadvertently exclude or disadvantage members of our community.
Greater awareness, consistent messaging and a focus on timely, accessible information and care are essential components. As the hub continues to develop, ongoing community engagement and transparent communication will be crucial in building a service that women and girls can trust and rely on.
As we move forward, Healthwatch Greenwich remains committed to ensuring that the voices of women and girls shape the future of healthcare in our community. We’ll continue to listen, advocate, and hold services accountable.
