RCN event highlights need to keep women's health in the spotlight

The RCN highlighted gender equality in health in an event marking international women’s day.

The Gender on the Agenda discussion, held at RCN headquarters in London, covered a range of issues from the role of nurses in the suffrage campaigns to the foundation of the college in 1916.

RCN women’s health forum chair Debra Holloway, one of the speakers, told RCNi: ‘There have been so many milestones, from the abortion act to the pill and advances in surgery to help women. We have come a long way, but we can do even more to ensure women’s health remains high on everyone’s agenda.’

It is estimated 279,500 women in the UK have undergone female genital mutilation and 60,000 girls under the age of 16 are at risk of the practice. 

Ms Holloway encouraged nurses to continue to report FGM and to remain aware of the possibility of domestic violence in patients.

‘Topics such as the menopause are still hidden areas of women’s health that people don’t want to talk about, but we should have the courage to ask the questions,’ she said.