Diagnosis and Access to Treatment

Help us ensure Governments reduce endometriosis diagnosis times to a year or less by 2030.

It currently takes an unacceptable average of 9 years and 4 months to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK. For women and those assigned female at birth from communities of colour, the average wait increases to 11 years. This is indefensible, and Governments across the UK must drive this down to a year or less by 2030.

Endometriosis affects around 1.5 million women and those assigned female at birth in the UK. Delayed diagnosis means a delay in accessing treatment, during which time the disease may progress, leading to worsening symptoms and a risk of permanent organ damage. 

Gynaecology also has the longest waiting times of any NHS specialty. The main driver of delay is now the time taken to access secondary care.

That is why we are calling on Governments to:

Fix capacity and access

• Reduce gynaecology waiting times through targeted investment and workforce planning
• Prioritise endometriosis in service planning and funding
• Improve data collection to better match capacity to demand

Move diagnosis closer to the community

• Expand investigation through Community Diagnostic Centres and Women’s Health Hubs
• Ensure these services are properly resourced and integrated with specialist pathways

End dismissal and delay

• Mandate menstrual health and endometriosis training across medical education
• Fully implement and strengthen NICE guidance, including clearer referral pathways
• Improve menstrual health education in schools and workplace protections

Reducing diagnosis time to one year or less by 2030 is an achievable and necessary goal. Without decisive action, patients will continue to experience avoidable harm and the NHS and wider economy will continue to bear unnecessary costs.