Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on supporting women living with a musculoskeletal condition.

We are a mission-led Government and women’s equality is at the heart of all of our missions. As part of that work Equalities Ministers have regular conversations with colleagues on a range of women’s health issues, including on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which covers musculoskeletal conditions.

Women’s health is a fundamental part of our 10-year plan to Build an NHS Fit for the Future, which is why on 4th February 2025, DHSC announced details of the Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) Trial, backed by £11 million of government support via the NIHR. Through this research, almost 700,000 women from across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.