Dr Sue Mann has been appointed as the first ever clinical director for women’s health.
In the role, she will help to implement the Women’s Health Strategy and support the roll out of women’s health hubs across England.
Dr Mann will also work on the development of a network of Women’s Health Champions, which will be made up of senior leaders in every local care system and will drive forward work to improve women’s health.
Dr Mann is a consultant and lead for women’s health in City and Hackney, North East London. She has extensive clinical and academic work and spearheaded the development of Women’s Health Hubs in London City and Hackney, as well as implementing Virtual Group Consultations for common women’s health problems.
Dr Sue Mann, new NHS national clinical director for women’s health, said: “Having spent my career researching, treating, and developing policy and initiatives focused on women’s health, I have seen firsthand the challenges many women face, as well as the progress that has been made through better understanding and awareness of conditions affecting women.
“While our understanding and treatment of women’s healthcare has come a long way, we know there is still a lot more we need to do, and I am excited to be able to play a role in that as the first national clinical director for women’s health, working with colleagues in the NHS to help shape important policy and improve the experiences of women’s health in England.”
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: “The NHS is committed to meeting women’s individual healthcare needs, including supporting all local areas to develop a women’s health hub by December 2024, which will improve women’s health outcomes by providing better menstrual health services, menopause assessment and treatment, and more.
“The appointment of Dr Sue Mann as National Clinical Director for Women’s Health will help us build on and further improve the work the NHS has been doing, making it as easy as possible for women to access advice and care for their specific needs, and significantly improve patient experience.”
At the same time, six other national clinical directors have also been recruited on three-year tenures or part-time secondments. They will carry out their national role alongside their clinical duties.
The new appointments include Dr Lesley Kay (national clinical director for musculoskeletal), Dr Jeremy Isaacs (national clinical director for dementia), and Dr Thomas Downes (national clinical director for older people and integrated personalised care).
Others have been re-appointed to their roles for another term, this includes: Dr Tony Avery (national clinical director for prescribing), Professor Ramani Moonesinghe (national clinical director for critical and perioperative care), and Professor Matt Inada-Kim (national clinical director for infection and antimicrobial resistance).
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “National Clinical Directors play a crucial role in supporting NHS England to deliver our key ambitions – they provide clinical advice and leadership to help drive transformation of services for patients, and ensure an NHS fit for the future, which is why it is a hugely positive step forward that we have announced a new role as part of this cohort – our first ever dedicated NCD for women’s health.
“The seven people announced today bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge and I am looking forward to working alongside them and our wider group of NCDs and national specialty advisors to continue to develop and drive forward the work we do across the NHS to provide the best possible care for patients.”
