Rosie Winterton

The government is determined to tackle inequality by boosting the level of healthcare offered to women, Rosie Winterton has said.

The health minister was speaking during a visit to Sheffield to launch new implementation guidance for the women's mental health strategy .

According to the guidance, primary care trusts and mental health trusts should appoint a senior person to be responsible for women's mental health.

And there should be improved cooperation between mental health and primary care trusts, social services, voluntary sector, housing services and the criminal justice service.

"The government is taking a wide-ranging approach to tackle the inequalities that persist in our society. Inequalities that, in most cases, still affect more women than men," said Winterton.

"The needs of women are central to the government's programme of reform and investment in public services and to our commitment to addressing discrimination and inequality.

"Modernising mental health services is one of our core national priorities."

Statistics show that social isolation and poverty are much more common in women, as is the experience of child sexual abuse, domestic violence and sexual violence.

These factors can have a major impact on women's mental health, said the Department of Health.

"Women want to be listened to, to have their experiences validated, and most of all to be kept safe while they recover from mental ill health.," said the minister.

"Women want importance placed on the underlying causes and context of their distress in addition to their symptoms, support in their mothering and caring role and their potential for recovery recognised.

"Understanding the specific mental health needs of women - both as service users and in the workforce - requires cultural change.

"This can only be achieved through the increased involvement of the public, staff, service users and carers and through a partnership approach to service delivery.

"We hope that this guidance will help make the changes needed to improve quality and choice in mental health services."