Women’s Health Advocate Dr. Liz O’Riordan Calls for Increased Attention and Empowered Healthcare Seeking

A growing call for greater focus on women’s health and the empowerment of women to advocate for their own well-being was spearheaded by Dr. Liz O’Riordan at the Let’s Talk Women Health event held in Ipswich on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Dr. O’Riordan, a breast cancer surgeon and three-time cancer survivor, emphasized the need for women to be taken seriously when expressing health concerns and to have access to reliable information.

Addressing Systemic Issues in Women’s Healthcare

The Let’s Talk Women Health event, attended by over 300 people, aimed to address critical gaps in women’s healthcare, including dispelling misinformation and connecting women with experts in areas such as pregnancy, fertility, menopause, endometriosis, and neurodiversity. Dr. O’Riordan highlighted the challenges women face in navigating the healthcare system and the importance of self-advocacy.

“We are now realising we deserve more and for me it’s teaching women what to say so they get taken seriously,” Dr. O’Riordan stated. She noted that women often struggle to articulate their concerns effectively and may not be adequately heard by healthcare professionals.

The Impact of Misinformation and Access to Care

Dr. O’Riordan too addressed the pervasive issue of health misinformation, particularly online. She cautioned against relying on sources like ChatGPT for medical advice and emphasized the importance of consulting with qualified healthcare providers. She actively creates content to bridge the gap between patients and doctors, providing accessible and reliable information.

Organizers of the event pointed to concerning statistics regarding women’s healthcare access. As of December 2025, over 740,000 women were on waiting lists for care, a slight decrease from the previous year. Between October 2024 and October 2025, 1.61 million gynaecology referrals were made in England, representing a 24% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.

A Collective Responsibility

Amy Peckham-Driver, co-creator of Let’s Talk Women Health, underscored that women’s health is a shared responsibility. The event aimed to foster a supportive environment where women could openly discuss their health concerns and learn how to support one another. The event builds on the historical exclusion of women from medical research, a practice that continued until the 1990s.

Dr. O’Riordan, who previously worked at West Suffolk Hospital and Ipswich Hospital, emphasized the positive shift towards prioritizing women’s health, while also advocating for a greater focus on preventative care.