Simplyhealth is the first health plan provider to offer a virtual GP option specifically focused on women’s health.
This will now be offered to policyholders when booking online GP services at no additional cost. It says this is designed to offer more tailored support for women’s health concerns and to ensures customers can access the best clinician for their needs.
It says that women’s health is often used to solely refer to reproductive or sexual health issues, but there is evidence that women are affected by a range of general health conditions disproportionately when compared to men.
Simplyhealth says research shows women spend a quarter (25 per cent) more of their lives in debilitating health than men and they continue to be under-diagnosed and under-treated for common conditions including cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in women.
Women are also more likely to experience lower back pain depressive disorders and headaches than men, all major drivers of disability. Lower back pain is also the most common reason for time off work in the UK.
In addition, four out of five women (84%) report not being listened to by healthcare professionals – with symptoms not taken seriously or dismissed upon first contact with GPs.
Simplyhealth says that providing tailored health services can help keep women feeling well at work and prevent them from dropping out of the workforce due to their symptoms.
For example, a study from Simplyhealth found almost a quarter (23 per cent) of women have considered quitting work due to the impact of menopause or menstrual symptoms at work, and over one in 10(14 per cent) are actively planning to quit.
The service builds on Simplyhealth’s offering for women’s health which includes access to discounted preventative care services across mammograms for people aged 40yrs+ (10 years before the NHS), and at-home health test kits which measure eight key female hormones to learn if they could be affecting weight, mood, or energy levels.
The women’s health-focused GP services provided by HealthHero are available to all Simplyhealth Health Plan customers. They can be accessed from within the SimplyPlan app or Simplyhealth customer portal, 24/7.
Simplyhealth head of clinical product and operations Dr Macarena Staudenmaier Keglevich says: “96 per cent of women told us they’d prefer seeing a women’s health-focused GP for future concerns. By connecting women with more expert GPs faster, we’re helping them get the answers, care, and support they need without the long waits. This service is just one way we’re working to make healthcare more responsive, accessible and truly supportive for all our members.”
Dr Emma Southworth, GP and deputy medical director, HealthHero said: “At HealthHero we are proud to have developed a simple approach to improving care for women, by giving patients the option to consult with a GP with specific expertise in women’s health. Through this pathway, we aim to provide consultations that are as relevant and empathetic as possible within a normal GP appointment.”