A 'Big Conversation' initiative has been launched to listen to women about their health needs in the North East and North Cumbria region.
The region is a driving force for better women's health, was the message from the NHS at a major healthcare innovation event.
Samantha Allen, the NHS Integrated Care Board's (ICB) chief executive, said: "We want our region to be at the heart of a revolution in women's health.
"Women live longer than men, but spend more of their lives in sickness or disability."
Ms Allen added that they're launching their initiative to get people talking about women's health.
Samantha Allen – chief executive of the NHS Integrated Care Board North East and North Cumbria (Image: NHS)
The event also launched a study showing more action needed for conditions like PCOS and endometriosis and improving access to postnatal contraception and hormone replacement therapy.
It highlighted the role of innovation, featuring the region’s startups working on women's healthcare solutions, such as tackling cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Dr Nicola Hutchinson, CEO at Health Innovation, North East and North Cumbria, said: "We have already taken strides to reduce the widening health inequalities gap through our Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme.
"It is particularly important to build on this by listening to women living in areas of deprivation and underserved populations across our region."
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