Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) entitled Endometriosis: diagnosis and management, NG73, published on 6 September 2017, if he will hold discussions with NICE on (a) reviewing and (b) updating that guidance to help improve (i) the (A) pharmacological and (B) non-pharmacological approaches for pain management, (ii) care pathways for endometriosis outside the pelvic cavity and (iii) mental health support.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body responsible for its published guidelines. NICE’s guideline on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis includes recommendations on pharmacological pain management and organisation of care. It also states that women with suspected or confirmed endometriosis should be provided with information and support that takes into account their psychosexual and emotional needs.

NICE updated this guideline in 2021 to highlight that people with endometriosis outside the pelvic cavity should be referred to a specialist endometriosis centre. In light of the continued interest in this topic, NICE is currently reviewing its guideline to determine whether it should be updated.