NHS Grampian has published its Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025. The report focuses on women’s health and calls for a prevention-driven approach to improving health outcomes, supported by employers, public services, third sector partners, volunteers and the wider community.
The Director of Public Health Annual Report has a different area of population health focus each time. This edition emphasises that while progress has been made in some areas of women’s health, significant inequalities remain — with women in more deprived communities and those who experience social exclusion experiencing poorer health.
Professor Shantini Paranjothy, Director of Public Health at NHS Grampian, said: “During the development of this report, it was important for us to listen to women. Their stories and experiences are highlighted throughout. It is our role to continue to listen to and work with women to tackle the inequities we see, including, but not limited to, living longer but in poorer health.
This report reinforces the fact that improving women’s health requires more than healthcare services alone. Health is shaped not only by access to healthcare, but by wider factors including income, education, work and community support.
Recognising women make up half our local population, this report is also a timely reminder of the role we all have in helping women to stay well, and in improving outcomes for future generations. When women’s health improves, families and communities benefit, and society as a whole becomes healthier and more equitable.”
In line with the continued emphasis nationally on improving health outcomes for women, the report highlights the importance of supporting women’s health at every stage of life. It outlines opportunities to provide targeted support for those most at risk of poor outcomes, make better use of data and evidence, and encourages additional research into women’s health to understand needs and track progress. The value of collaboration across local services and organisations is underlined, along with the role and influence of employers in helping to improve wellbeing.
Consultant gynaecologist Lucky Saraswat has led the introduction of ‘My Endo, My Way’ events to help broaden access to support for those concerned about endometriosis, as well as launching a helpline to provide ongoing support to those in her care living with the condition. She explained: “Everybody's experience of endometriosis is different and there are lots of myths out there about the condition so it’s important services help to dispel those myths and offer a personalised approach. Events have been really popular so far and clinicians who have attended have also given us feedback about how helpful these are.”
Tara Bachoo, from Aberdeen, who has been living with endometriosis for over 11 years, says the support she received from Dr Saraswat and her team not only changed her life but gave her her life back. Tara said: “It got to the point I felt I had no purpose anymore. I still remember the first time I met Dr Saraswat in the height of COVID-19 and I broke down sobbing after the appointment, not because of needing surgery for a diagnosis but because I finally had someone who immediately recognised and validated the extent to which endometriosis had taken over my life. I received emergency surgery and started my undergraduate degree less than two weeks later.”
Tara, who achieved a first-class honours degree in biomedical science, is now studying medicine and looking forward to becoming a doctor one day herself.
“As much as I’m a medic and a scientist, I’m still an ongoing patient and I hope this dual viewpoint helps me relate to patients whether they are navigating a diagnosis, coming to terms with the impact of a chronic condition or living with constant uncertainty. One of the most overlooked aspects of gynaecological diseases is that just because they are not considered life-threatening does not mean they are not life-altering. Chronic illness doesn't pause because you have an exam, a job to get to or a degree to finish.
“One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that if your blood tests are normal, your scans are inconclusive and you don't outwardly look unwell, people can begin to question your experience instead of your illness. That's why being listened to matters so much. Listening is treatment. Belief is treatment. Early referral is treatment. We also need to reinforce and uphold the simple values of patience, understanding and tolerance from workplaces, education settings and friends and family.
“Dr. Saraswat and specialist nurse Lorna are clinicians who listen even when time is against them. As a patient, they restored my confidence, gave me hope and showed me what truly compassionate, patient-centred medicine looks like,” Tara added.
Chair of the Board of NHS Grampian, Alison Evison explained: “I had the pleasure of being included in the consultation on the Director of Public Health Annual Report. Board colleagues and I feel more informed of the challenges in tackling inequities, not just within health but across communities. We appreciate all the good work which is already happening; we see the difference it makes when colleagues, volunteers, third sector organisations, local services and members of the community work together. We look forward to seeing what the next phase of this work brings, through the action plan later in the year.”
NHS Grampian works in partnership with local authorities and third-sector organisations to improve population health and reduce inequalities, and this report will help strengthen and shape that work. It will inform the development of a local action plan aligned with the recently published national Women’s Health Plan: Phase Two (2026–2029).
Chief Executive of NHS Grampian, Laura Scaife-Knight commented: “For NHS Grampian as a large employer, we recognise women make up 81.5% of our fantastic workforce. Supporting women with their health and wellbeing isn’t just important for our wider communities but for us as an organisation, delivering the care and expertise everyone relies on. We will continue to prioritise listening to people about how we best meet needs and we will continue to work collaboratively with our local partners across the spectrum of health and care to make the improvements needed.”
Professor Paranjothy added: “This is a call to action for all partners across Grampian. By working together and focusing on prevention, we have a real opportunity to reduce inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls.”
The full Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025: Women’s Health is available to view by following this link: https://www.nhsgrampian.org/your-health/director-of-public-health-annual-report/