Hospital patients are to receive free sanitary products from this summer

NHS England has announced all women and girls being cared for by the NHS will be given appropriate sanitary products free of charge, if requested by the patient, from this summer onwards.

Some hospitals have already been supplying tampons and sanitary products free of charge, but under new plans, this will be compulsory from this summer.

Simon Stevens, chief executive for NHS England, had already announced in early March that sanitary products were going to be provided free of charge in hospitals, but the new announcement means this will now be mandated in the new standard contract with hospitals for 2019-20.

The British Medical Association (BMA) had written to health officials over a month ago, urging them to change policy after it emerged four in ten hospital trusts were not issuing free sanitary products to women that needed them, despite often providing men with razors and shaving foam free of charge.

Dame Parveen Kumar, chair of the BMA’s Board of Science, said the move demonstrated that the NHS "can lead by example”.

She added: “As well being an important influence in the shift that is necessary towards ending period poverty, this will be a relief for many patients who will no longer face the embarrassment and stress of not being able to freely and easily access sanitary pads and tampons.”

The news comes as Chancellor Philip Hammond announced today in the Spring Statement that he will be tackling 'period poverty' in secondary schools, with free sanitary pads and tampons.

Ruth May, England’s chief nurse, welcomed the plans, saying: “Periods are part of life and too often we take it for granted that everyone has easy access to sanitary products. Period poverty affects an estimated one in 10 girls in this country and it can cause real anxiety when you can’t find the right product when you need it.

“Health problems are stressful enough, and this move will mean that the embarrassment, discomfort and anxiety finding yourself in hospital without adequate protection on your period will be a thing of the past."

Mr Stevens added: “It is absolutely right that everyone has access to the essentials of daily life during their time in hospital, and that should include sanitary products.

“It’s fundamental that we give patients the best experience possible during what can be a stressful time of their life, and by providing sanitary products the NHS can prevent unnecessary embarrassment and leave people to focus on their recovery.”