Why our women's mental health strategy is important

This is the Foreword to Women's Mental Health Matters, the College's 2026-2031 strategy for vitally needed improvements to women's mental health care in the UK, launched in June 2026.

Women’s mental health is fundamental to the health of our society. Yet for too long, it has not been consistently considered, recognised, prioritised or addressed within health systems, policy or clinical practice. This strategy addresses what clinicians and women have been telling us for decades: the current approach is not working.

Women live longer than men but spend significantly more of their lives in poor health, a pattern seen globally and  in the UK(McKinsey Health Institute, 2024). This reflects a persistent and widening gender health gap, with direct consequences for both mental and physical wellbeing.

When we think about women’s health, it is essential that mental health is considered alongside physical health across the different stages of their life-course. We know that women experience distinct patterns of mental illness, shaped by biological, social, environmental and structural factors. This evidence is well established, yet what has been missing is action.

Crucially, not all women are affected equally. Women facing the greatest burden of intersecting risk factors including poverty, gender-based violence (GBV) and severe mental illness (SMI) have the poorest outcomes and face the greatest barriers to care. Too often, these women’s needs remain overlooked in both policy and practice.

At the same time, demand for mental health support is rising, and the complexity of need is increasing. For women, this challenge is particularly acute. Gendered experiences including discrimination, caring responsibilities, economic inequity and social pressures shape women’s pathways to care, often making them longer, more complex and more difficult to navigate.

This must change. When health services are not designed around those with the greatest need, existing inequalities deepen. Placing those most at risk at the centre of care is essential to improving outcomes for all women.

Improving women’s mental health requires a fundamental shift in how care is understood, designed and delivered. It demands coordinated action across government, the NHS and wider society, alongside meaningful partnership with women whose voices have too often gone unheard.

At its core, this strategy is about ensuring that women are listened to, believed, empowered and supported, with services that respond to the realities of their lives.

Improving women’s mental health will benefit whole communities and the wider economy, and is central to patient safety, public health and long-term system sustainability.

This strategy sets out a clear path forward, grounded in clear action and collective responsibility at every level. What matters now is that we act with urgency, with ambition, and with sustained commitment.

Dr Lade Smith CBE, President, RCPsych

Dr Catherine Durkin, Presidential Lead for Women’s Mental Health, RCPsych

Dr Philippa Greenfield, Presidential Lead for Women’s Mental Health, RCPsych

June, 2026