Women's feedback drives new improvements to NHS Wales Women's Health website
Women and girls in Wales are at the centre of improvements being made to a resource that provides information, support and services for women’s health.
The NHS Wales Women’s Health website has introduced a series of new features shaped by feedback from across Wales.
Initially designed with input from women and girls, the website went live in March this year. It provides a trusted, one-stop site for information, support and services on women’s health, which is quality assured by healthcare professionals.
Now, the website is evolving in response to both user feedback and emerging trends in women’s health. New features include highlighting the availability of women’s health services in local areas, providing support with understanding women’s health terminology, and sharing opportunities to share experiences through taking part in research studies, surveys and interviews.
Dr Jazz Walker-Baker, Clinical Lead and GP, said: “We're seeing growing awareness of pelvic health, an area that can have a profound impact on women's daily lives and wellbeing. Women told us they wanted clearer information about the support available in their local area, so we've responded by adding a postcode finder to the website. This will make it easier for women to find and access the right information and support they need, wherever they live in Wales."
Clearer language and better signposting have been recurring themes in views from women using the website. To help address this, a new glossary of terms has been added, explaining words and phrases that women may hear during healthcare appointments or come across when searching for health information online. The resource aims to help women better understand information about their health and feel more confident navigating the support available to them.
“Confidence plays an important role in health and wellbeing. When women understand the information they've been given, they are better able to make informed decisions and advocate for their needs. We also know that women's experiences are vital in shaping better services and stronger evidence for the future. Our new Get Involved section gives women the opportunity to contribute to research, share their experiences and play an active role in improving women's health in Wales”, added Jazz.
The Get Involved pages of the website, produced in collaboration with Women’s Health Research Wales, brings together opportunities to take part in research studies, surveys and interviews. Alongside the initial co-production of the website, it enables women to share their experiences and help shape future research, services and support for women across Wales.
This autumn, work to develop the site will continue through direct engagement with women across Wales. This ongoing engagement will help ensure the website remains relevant, accessible and shaped by the experiences, priorities and needs of the women it is designed to support.
Hayley Peters, Director of Nursing at NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, concluded: “Women’s voices have been central to the development of the website, and it’s important that this is maintained. We want it to continue to respond to what women want, and to make sure the information available remains useful, trusted and relevant.
“These improvements are the result of close collaboration between NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, Digital Health and Care Wales, Women’s Health Research Wales, Welsh Government and other partners, ensuring women’s feedback remains at the heart of the website’s development.
“We’d encourage women and anyone using the website to continue sharing their views and experiences. Whether that’s something they’d like to see added, something that could be made clearer or something they’ve found particularly useful, their feedback can help shape what comes next.”
Visitors to the site can share their views using the feedback buttons on the NHS Wales Women’s Health website.