Gender Health Gap

Healthwatch Rotherham carried out a survey and targeted community engagement during April and May 2026 to explore the experiences of women and people assigned female at birth when accessing healthcare. Seventy-six people took part. The findings showed that many respondents felt their symptoms were not taken seriously, with 71.8% reporting that they had experienced dismissal of their concerns and 76% saying they were only sometimes listened to or not listened to at all when discussing female health issues. 

A recurring theme was that symptoms were frequently attributed to hormones, periods, menopause, stress or anxiety without sufficient investigation. Many respondents described delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses and having to repeatedly advocate for themselves before receiving appropriate treatment. More than half of respondents (58.5%) said they had been told their symptoms were stress or anxiety related without other causes being fully explored, while almost half had attended appointments with a friend or family member to help ensure they were taken seriously. 

The report also highlighted specific issues around conditions such as endometriosis, ADHD, autism and menopause. Respondents described long waits for diagnosis, inconsistent support and a lack of information about available treatments. Case studies included examples of women waiting many years for diagnoses and feeling dismissed by healthcare professionals, as well as experiences from trans respondents who faced additional barriers navigating healthcare systems and accessing appropriate services. 

Healthwatch concluded that reducing the gender health gap requires improvements in listening, communication, diagnosis and person-centred care. Recommendations included training on unconscious gender bias and women’s health, improving referral and diagnostic pathways, strengthening support while patients wait for treatment, improving inclusivity for trans and non-binary patients, using patient feedback to drive improvement, and developing a South Yorkshire-wide Women’s Health Strategy to address inequalities across the healthcare system.