AXREM Launches Landmark Women’s Health Diagnostic Imaging Paper in Parliament Alongside AXREM Women’s Network
16 March 2026
AXREM set a powerful tone for the future of women’s health last week as it unveiled its new diagnostic imaging report in Parliament, timed to coincide with the launch of the AXREM Women’s Network. Together, these milestones signal a decisive step toward tackling long‑standing inequalities in women’s access to timely, accurate and life‑saving diagnostic services.
For decades, women have faced avoidable barriers to diagnosis, barriers that have cost lives, delayed treatment and left too many navigating a healthcare system not designed with their needs in mind. AXREM’s new paper confronts this reality head‑on, arguing that diagnostic imaging is not simply a clinical tool but a critical lever for national health, economic productivity and gender equity.
Diagnostic imaging already plays a central role in women’s health, from breast cancer screening to gynaecological care, fertility and pregnancy. Yet the report highlights a stark truth: many conditions present differently in women and historic research built largely on male populations has left dangerous gaps in understanding. Cardiovascular disease, for example, often manifests with subtle symptoms in women, leading to missed or delayed diagnoses. Meanwhile, conditions like endometriosis continue to suffer from slow, inconsistent diagnostic pathways due to limited access to high‑end ultrasound equipment and specialist sonographers.
The report underscores the life‑changing impact of technologies already in use. The NHS Breast Screening Programme detects more than 16,000 primary breast cancers each year, with mammography now enhanced by 3D imaging and contrast‑enhanced techniques, remaining the gold standard for early detection. Ultrasound, versatile and radiation‑free, shapes the reproductive and maternal health journeys of millions of women. MRI and emerging AI‑powered tools promise even greater accuracy, efficiency and earlier intervention.
But AXREM’s message is clear: innovation alone is not enough. Without sustained investment, modern equipment and a well‑supported workforce, the UK risks widening the very gaps it seeks to close. The report calls for long‑term funding to modernise imaging infrastructure, expand Community Diagnostic Centres and Neighbourhood Health Hubs and strengthen training for radiographers, sonographers and allied health professionals. Early diagnosis saves lives and it saves the NHS money. The cost of inaction is far higher.
The launch also marked the debut of the AXREM Women’s Network, a new platform dedicated to elevating women working across diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy and healthcare IT. Its creation reflects AXREM’s belief that improving women’s health outcomes must go hand‑in‑hand with improving representation, leadership and visibility within the sector itself.
As women increasingly take control of their own health through digital tools, reproductive health apps and wearable technologies, the demand for accurate, accessible diagnostic imaging will only grow. AXREM’s report positions this moment as a turning point: a chance to build a healthcare system that listens to women, learns from women and invests in the technologies that can transform their lives.
AXREM is calling for political commitment equal to the scale of the challenge. Properly funding women’s diagnostic services is not just a clinical necessity it is a strategic national priority. By championing innovation, inclusivity and sustainability, AXREM aims to ensure that every woman in the UK can access the world‑class diagnostic care she deserves
Sally Edgington, AXREM CEO said on release of this paper
“Launching this paper in Westminster mattered. Women’s health has been sidelined for too long and placing this work at the centre of political decision‑making was essential. I know from my own battles with women’s health conditions just how devastating and life‑altering issues like endometriosis can be and no woman should have to fight for a diagnosis or wait years for the imaging that could give her answers.
Diagnostic imaging can change that story but only if we invest in it. Too many women still face delays, misdiagnosis or limited access to the technologies that could transform their care. This paper is a clear call for action, investment and accountability.
The launch of the AXREM Women’s Network alongside this report shows our commitment not only to improving outcomes for women, but to elevating women within our own sector. Westminster was the right place to start this conversation and now it’s time to turn it into change.”
Access the paper here