The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women’s Health responds to the The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, chaired by Baroness Julia Cumberlege

Background

The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Review was announced in February 2018 by the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, in the House of Commons.

It was set up to examine how the healthcare system in England responds to reports from patients about harmful side effects from medicines and medical devices.

The findings of the review were published in the report First Do No Harm on Wednesday 8th July 2020.

Response

The APPG on Women’s Health is pleased to publish this statement in response to the report and its recommendations:

The publication of First Do No Harm should be seen as a victory for the many patients, mostly women, who have campaigned tirelessly for their voices to be heard. Those who were affected have been ignored for far too long and the APPG commends their bravery in continuing to fight for recognition in spite of the hurdles that they faced.

The former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asked the review to consider how to build a “system that listens, hears and acts – with speed, compassion and proportionality”. The publication of the review and its recommendations are an important step towards realising this vision.

Following this review, more needs to be done to empower women, first by listening to their concerns, then by supporting them to make decisions about their healthcare, and treating them with dignity and respect when doing so. All too often patients’ worries and concerns are dismissed as “women’s problems” and not taken seriously.

We look forward to gaining further insights into the barriers women face in accessing the healthcare they need and understanding how they feel about the interactions with their healthcare professionals.

The APPG particularly welcomes the review’s recommendation to appoint a Patient Safety Commissioner with statutory responsibility. This role would put the patient voice at the heart of our healthcare system, ensuring it evolves in the right way and delivers on its duty of care.

The APPG will continue to work hard to ensure women are treated appropriately for their physical, mental and gynaecological health.