Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance her Department has issued on the use of telephone appointments for initial gynaecology consultations.

We are taking action to reduce gynaecology waiting lists, including implementing innovative models of care that offer care closer to home and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding. As of August 2026, 59.6% of pathways were waiting less than 18 weeks for gynaecology services, an improvement of 5.4% since the Government took office.

Going forward, we will support integrated care boards to introduce a single point of access to assess all non-urgent referrals to gynaecology and women’s health services, enabling women to be directed to the best place for their needs. From October 2027, we will also introduce NHS Online, giving people on pathways relating to menopause and menstrual problems, which may be a sign of endometriosis, the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home, and substantially reducing patient waiting times.

These improvements will mean shorter waits and more convenient gynaecological care, alongside the additional reforms set out in the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewed-womens-health-strategy-for-england