Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of endometriosis healthcare services on the waiting times for receiving such services in the past year.

Reducing waiting lists, including for endometriosis and other gynaecological conditions, is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission. We are committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. As of the end of December 2025, the gynaecology waiting list stands at 577,232, with 57.3% of patient pathways waiting less than 18 weeks, an improvement of 1.9% since December 2024.

We know there is more to do to improve access to endometriosis care and waiting times against the 18-week standard. We are expanding the number of dedicated and protected surgical hubs, of which gynaecology procedures are a key offering, and commissioning research focussed on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and pain. We are also introducing an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which from 2027 will provide additional appointments to cut waiting times for certain pathways. This includes people who are experiencing menstrual problems, a potential sign of endometriosis, who will be given the choice of receiving at least some of their specialist care from the convenience of their own home. Across all specialities, NHS Online will deliver the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times more than an average trust.

We are improving the standards of care for women with severe endometriosis by ensuring specialist endometriosis services have access to the most up-to-date evidence and advice on diagnosis and treatment. In 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved two new pills to treat endometriosis, Relugolix and Linzagolix. Both are estimated to help approximately 1,000 women with severe endometriosis.