Majority of Women Say GPs Have Dismissed Their Health Concerns, Survey Finds

A majority of women report feeling that a GP has dismissed their health concerns, according to a new YouGov survey that has reignited debate about gender bias in healthcare.

The findings follow the case of Jessica Brady, a 27-year-old who died in 2020 from cancer after her symptoms were repeatedly overlooked by doctors. Her story has become emblematic of what campaigners describe as a “systemic failure” to take women’s symptoms seriously.

Survey Findings

The poll, which surveyed nearly 5,000 adults, found that 70% of women said they feel GPs do not take their health concerns seriously, compared with 52% of men. More than a quarter of women (27%) reported that this had happened to them “many times”.

Respondents described experiences ranging from abdominal pain being dismissed as “just stress” to menstrual problems written off as “normal period pain.” Younger women under 35 were particularly likely to say they felt their symptoms were minimised, with many linking this to delays in diagnosis and a reluctance to seek care in the future.

The Case of Jessica Brady

Jessica Brady visited doctors multiple times with symptoms including weight loss, fatigue and persistent abdominal pain, but her concerns were not escalated for specialist investigation. She was later diagnosed with advanced cancer and died months before her 28th birthday.

Her parents have since campaigned for reforms to ensure that patients’ concerns are taken seriously and acted upon promptly. “Jessica knew something wasn’t right,” her mother told MPs at a parliamentary hearing. “But she was not listened to until it was too late.”

A Wider Pattern

Campaigners argue that Brady’s case reflects a broader pattern of gender bias in healthcare. Research published in the British Medical Journal and other outlets has found that women are more likely than men to have their pain under-treated, their symptoms attributed to psychological rather than physical causes, and their diagnoses delayed.

Conditions such as endometriosis, heart disease and autoimmune disorders are frequently cited as areas where women’s symptoms are overlooked or misdiagnosed.

Calls for Change

Health campaigners and charities are urging the NHS to introduce mandatory training on gender-sensitive care, longer GP consultation times, and better referral pathways for women presenting with persistent or unexplained symptoms.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We recognise that women’s health outcomes have for too long lagged behind men’s. Through the Women’s Health Strategy we are working to improve listening, diagnosis and treatment across the NHS.”

Trust at Stake

For many women, the sense of being dismissed by a GP has lasting consequences. Some respondents to the survey said they now avoid visiting the doctor altogether, while others reported a loss of trust in primary care.

As Jessica Brady’s case illustrates, the stakes can be life-threatening. Campaigners argue that systemic change is urgently needed to ensure that women’s voices are not just heard — but acted upon.