Final preparations are underway for the launch of new NHS services in all parts of Wales to improve access to vital healthcare services for women.
The first pathfinder women’s health hub will open before the end of January, with hubs in place in each health board area by early March.
The hubs are a key commitment in the NHS-led Women’s Health Plan. They will provide integrated women’s health services, focussing on three priority areas: menstrual health, contraception, and menopause.
The hubs will be tailored to local needs, but all will be based on a core set of values and principles – some will operate over multiple sites and others will be accessed online. While this means hubs will look different in each area, every hub will adhere to the same holistic approach to women’s health and will meet a checklist of requirements.
Significant work has gone into both designing the bespoke hubs and training clinicians. The Primary Care Academy has provided training for staff about menopause, sexual health, and long-acting reversible contraception fitting.
Health Education and Improvement Wales has developed e-learning modules, which will be accessible to all NHS staff from March, covering general women’s health and specific conditions such as endometriosis.
Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said:
” The hubs develop another step forward for women’s health in Wales. This week marks the beginning of some of the new services that will feature in hubs’ provision.
“These hubs will improve health outcomes for women and bring care closer to home.
” Together, we are building a health service which meets the needs of women and girls, now and for generations to come.”
Each Health Board has received an additional £300,000 this financial year to support the development of the pathfinder hubs. They will be evaluated later this year.
An evaluation has been commissioned to learn from the pathfinder hubs, including feedback from women accessing services, which will report in June 2026.
