Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison has called on Health Secretary Wes Streeting to provide better funding to “close the gender gap completely in terms of female reproductive health”.
The TV personality, who rose to fame on Geordie Shore, has now been diagnosed with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) after suffering with anxiety, insomnia and fatigue that was put down to pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) when she visited various doctors across the country.
She ended up resorting to private healthcare after failing to get the care she needed on the NHS.
Pattison had a private meeting with Mr Streeting on Monday in which she told him about the need for more training for NHS staff and more support for women struggling with reproductive health issues.
She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I said it needs better funding. We need to close that gender gap completely in terms of female reproductive health.
“I said we also need better education and training for people within the NHS, medical professionals, better mental health support for women struggling, and also just more research.
“And he said he was going to go direct to the people who are dealing with the funding and address that.”
She added: “I’m really passionate about making change within this space, helping women, offering them a better quality of life when they are suffering with female reproductive health issues.
“The things they are struggling with are different, different female reproductive health issues, but the one common thread is that when they go and visit the NHS, a doctor, whatever, they are ignored, dismissed, in some way made to feel like this is in their head, they are hysterical, and that is the medical misogyny that we’re trying to tackle.
“Their quality of life has been significantly affected. These conditions are debilitating and heartbreaking, and they’re affecting three in five women in the UK. This isn’t something we can ignore any more.”
Pattison has previously given evidence to MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee as part of its inquiry into women’s reproductive health.
Pattison, who is currently paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington on Strictly, discussed juggling her campaigning with rehearsing for the show, saying: “Strictly is intense, it is certainly a juggernaut, and I’m throwing myself into it wholeheartedly.
“But I’m hardly down the mines, am I? I’m dancing on a dance floor. I feel very privileged and very grateful to be having this experience in terms of trying to juggle it all.
“I’ve got this platform which I’m so grateful for, and if I’m not going to use it responsibly, what is the point? I want to help women.”
She added: “Kai is a very calm and understanding man, and a bit of an ally as well. I’m sure he’s pleased I’m doing things to help women struggling.”
