The Royal College of Psychiatrists publishes its first women’s mental health strategy.
Inequity, gender-based violence and changes in hormone, sexual and reproductive health put women at higher risk of developing mental illness – and often make existing mental health conditions even worse.
Yet, too many women are repeatedly left without the right help, at the right time, by services historically based on male-focused research and data, all compounded by chronic under-investment in women’s health. As a result, women with mental illness often struggle to access appropriate mental health support , with many falling through the gaps entirely.
Women experience disproportionally high rates of mental illness across their lifetime, with 1 in 4 (24%) women in England having a common mental disorder, such as anxiety and depression, compared to 1 in 6 (15%) of men.
Rates of self-harm among young women have tripled since 1993 and suicide remains the leading cause of maternal death in the first year after pregnancy. Perimenopausal women are at increased risk of experiencing mental illness, including bipolar disorder and clinical depression. Additionally women also bear the greatest burden of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, making up around two thirds of people living with these conditions.
Despite this evidence, and women being 50.7% of the UK population, many still report having to navigate a fragmented system, and are routinely dismissed, disbelieved or left waiting months, even years, for effective mental healthcare.
Today, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) is calling for urgent action from the NHS and governments across the UK to ensure mental health is a priority and not ignored or left to chance.
It is critical that women receive routine mental and physical health checks throughout key life stages, from puberty to pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, right the way through to old age. Services must also be held accountable for protecting women from harm in healthcare settings.
“Women’s mental healthcare is in crisis, and this must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“Women with mental illness continue to be left behind and too often just because they don’t fit the system. When their experiences of trauma are ignored and misunderstood, this leads to delayed diagnosis, missed opportunities for care and situations of avoidable harm.
“It is incredible that this is still happening when women account for half of the population.
“Our strategy shows that sexual, reproductive and hormone health; the impacts of gender-based violence; and inequalities within the health and care system together increase the risk of mental illness in women.
“While progress has been made, and we welcome national efforts across the UK - including the recently renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England - there is still a very long way to go until mental healthcare reaches an acceptable standard for women.
“We must take a logical approach, we can no longer continue to think about physical health in isolation from mental health, that just doesn’t work. The experiences of women must be listened to when services are being designed and delivered, if we want to truly understand the issues and address them.
“Women are the backbone of our society. It is time to change the healthcare system to better meet their needs, this is imperative for everyone – our children, families, workplaces, communities and the wider economy.”