End the Wait for Endometriosis Diagnosis

Over the past week, a number of constituents have contacted me about endometriosis, highlighting the long delays and gaps in training around this debilitating condition. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to get in touch and raise this issue with me.

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women in the UK, yet shockingly still takes an average of eight years and ten months to receive a diagnosis. That is nearly a decade of chronic pain, exhaustion, collapsing at work or school, and too often, being told that what you’re experiencing is just due to stress or “bad period pain.”

When someone walks into a GP surgery and explains their symptoms, its vital they are listened to and believed. However, for many people, that isn’t the case; a major report by Endometriosis UK found that 70% of those affected had visited their GP five times or more with symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. 

That is why education and training are so crucial. All GPs want to provide the best possible care for their patients, but without the right knowledge, how can they do this? We need to strengthen education on menstrual health across the healthcare system so that symptoms are recognised sooner and those affected receive the care they deserve. The Liberal Democrats would combine this with greater investment into research to speed up access to effective treatments and not leave people affected by endometriosis waiting years for answers.

I was also alarmed to see the Government throw out the target of having a Women’s Health Hub in every part of the country, removing this requirement hurts access for women and sends the wrong signal at a time when tackling NHS waiting times – including for gynaecological services – should be a clear priority. 

Much more must be done to improve women’s experience of the healthcare system, and I have written to the Department of Health and Social Care to seek clarification on what progress is being made on training and reducing diagnosis times.