Hansard

I am pleased to contribute to what has been an informative and excellent debate. I will begin by following on from Pam Duncan-Glancy’s thoughtful contribution on access for disabled women by mentioning that, so far this afternoon, we have perhaps not examined some of the cultural barriers for our black and ethnic minority groups. We know that accessing mental health services can be particularly challenging in some cultures, and the birth mortality rates for black women have been well documented in the UK and abroad.

There needs to be a better understanding of all the cultural barriers for women who are seeking help to get the support that they need. Those need to be examined in further detail. I thank Annie Wells for highlighting the poverty-related aspects of some of the challenges that women have, particularly as she represents a constituency such as mine that has historically low life expectancy for both men and women. I thank my colleague Kenny Gibson for his very personal reflection on his own experience, and not for the first time in the chamber. It is important that we hear about the lived experiences of women and their partners, and the impact that very difficult circumstances can have on the whole family.

I am glad that we are joined in the gallery by Professor Anna Glasier, who has been mentioned on many occasions in the debate for her lead in the area of women’s health. It is worth remembering that the women’s health plan was the first in the world to be published by a Government and it is the first attempt to examine the inequity that women experience in healthcare. It is also worth noting how much we now understand of the risks, many of which have been mentioned in the debate. Alex Cole-Hamilton touched on heart issues, and the risks presented by endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, the mental health challenges associated with menopause and postnatal depression. He also mentioned postpartum psychosis, which can be devastating for the women and families who are affected by it.

The women’s health pathway runs from puberty through to old age. We now know about some of the other issues that may face women beyond menopause, such as osteoporosis. Screening, which is so important, has been mentioned in the debate, includes breast screening and ovarian screening, as well as access to the HPV vaccine, which can now do much to prevent cervical cancer.

It is interesting that we are having this debate and that these issues are commonplace in the media and in our debates in the chamber. I thought that I would look back to see when we first started to talk about such issues, given that the first women’s health plan covered the period 2021 to 2024. In the first session of the Parliament, from 1999 to 2003, there were four mentions of menopause. Three of those were mentioned as ancillary to the main issues that were being discussed, and one was mentioned in relation to men’s health week. Very little changed during the few years after that. In the second session, the word “menopause” was recorded in the Official Report a couple of times. Between December 2003 and 2013, there were only seven entries in the Official Report that mentioned menopause, including in relation to other areas that did not focus on women’s health issues.

In 2017, we had the first real mentions of menopause as having been a cause for women to be dismissed for other health issues, and a petition on thyroid and adrenal issues was lodged. The issue of incontinence was mentioned, and that menopause had been a reason for women’s health problems to be dismissed, which has already been mentioned.

In sessions 1 to 4 of the Parliament, the word “tampon” was mentioned once. We now have the groundbreaking Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, which legislates for period products to be provided for free to those who are in need in Scotland. That was another first for Scotland.

From May 1999 to 2016, menstruation was mentioned five times, and three of those times were in the context of female genital mutilation. Most women experience menstruation around once a month and millions of us go through it, so it seems incredible that we were not discussing women’s health issues long before then.

I am really pleased that we have moved on from that. We have a long way to go to address women’s health inequity, but I think that it is worth recognising how far we have come. The debate and the contributions that have been made show that we are taking it seriously, that we understand the challenges and that there is a lot more to do. I am delighted that the women’s health plan is in place and that it has established a pathway. I look forward to hearing how the Government intends to implement it and about the work that has already been done under the current stewardship and leadership of the minister.