Today the Government has released the renewed Women's Health Strategy for England, and we are pleased to see Health Minister Wes Streeting MP recognise the many challenges those with endometriosis have faced and put in place a plan for ensuring diagnosis times are reduced and access to care is improved.
The Minister has vowed to "stop women being gaslit by doctors", stating that the NHS was "failing women" and has set out measures that Endometriosis UK hopes will bring about much needed and long awaited change for the 1.5 million women and those assigned female at birth with endometriosis in the UK.
As our latest diagnosis data shows - average wait times are getting worse with gynaecology waiting times remaining alarmingly high. This Strategy comes at a time that it is urgently needed - and we now look forward to working with the Government to make these commitments a reality, and we will continue to lobby Government to ensure there is the capacity, resource, workforce and funding to ensure its success.
The report sets out 117 action points and makes several pledges on how care will improve, including:
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Shorter waits for gynaecology care
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A pledge to "eliminate the diagnostic odyssey facing women" with conditions such as endometriosis and fibroids
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Fewer painful procedures without informed consent or a choice of pain relief
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A promise to be "listened to and taken seriously at the first time of asking" and fewer cases of repeating the same story
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A new £1m menstrual education programme to ensure girls are better equipped to recognise the difference between healthy and unhealthy periods
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Redesigning clinical pathways for heavy periods, urogynaecology and menopause to speed up diagnosis and treatment
Emma Cox, Chief Executive Endometriosis UK said: Today’s renewed Women’s Health Strategy comes at a time when it is desperately needed. Diagnosis times for endometriosis are going up not down and it’s now taking an average of 9 years 4 months - rising to 11 years for diverse ethnic communities - which is totally unacceptable. Leadership and decisive actions will be vital to drive these times down.
Endometriosis UK welcomes the commitments in the renewed Women’s Health Strategy which we have long been calling for, including streamlining gynaecology care and cutting waiting lists to ensure faster access for conditions like endometriosis, improving menstrual health education in schools, and ensuring women’s voices are involved in future policy making.
A focus on symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pain has the potential to speed up diagnosis of endometriosis, adenomyosis and menstrual health conditions. Providing much needed pathways to access diagnosis and treatment, and ensuring healthcare practitioners recognise and take these symptoms seriously, could result in a step change in speed of diagnosis and access to care.
These commitments must be matched with a clear roadmap for delivery, including ensuring the necessary resources and capacity. We now look forward to working with the Government to ensure these commitments become reality so that everyone with endometriosis, adenomyosis and menstrual health conditions have their symptoms recognised and believed, and can access the right care at the right time.
For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/womens-voices-to-be-at-the-heart-of-renewed-health-strategy
