{
  "abstract": "Background The NHS is central to the UK’s pandemic response but shaped by entrenched gender inequalities. These structural disparities heighten vulnerability to the compounding effects of pandemics, which are well established as gendered phenomena. Pandemic preparedness policies could anticipate and mitigate against such inequalities. However, despite calls from academics and international institutions, gender analysis remains absent from UK pandemic policies. This review provides the first comprehensive gender analysis of UK pandemic preparedness policies relating to the NHS workforce, assessing the extent to which gender considerations are integrated.Methods A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and NHS/government websites was conducted in May 2025. Eligible documents were research studies, literature reviews, or policies published in English and focused on the NHS workforce and pandemics. Framework analysis was used to synthesise data, applying an adapted version of Morgan et al.’s (2022) gender analysis matrix.Results Thirty-nine documents were included: 33 studies and 6 policies. Only one policy (17%) explicitly referenced gender, narrowly framing women’s vulnerability around motherhood. No policy addressed sexual and gender minorities or used an intersectional lens. Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic showed female NHS staff experienced disproportionate impacts, including restricted access to PPE, career disruption, and greater mental health strain. These inequities stemmed from occupational segregation, resource imbalances, and caregiving responsibilities. Policies largely individualised these challenges, overlooking their structural determinants.Conclusion UK pandemic preparedness policies inadequately addressed gender inequalities within the NHS workforce and failed to mitigate disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural drivers such as caregiving norms, occupational stratification, underrepresentation in leadership, and resource inequities were neglected. Evidence-based recommendations from this review provide a guide to embedding gender analysis in preparedness planning, strengthening health system resilience, equity, and justice.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Population Health Sciences, King’s College London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Rosie Marsh"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P08-5 A systematic literature review and gender analysis of UK pandemic preparedness policies relating to the NHS workforce",
  "uid": "53841aaf-01f8-5037-813a-76501bcb5761"
}