Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the change in nomenclature from polycystic ovary syndrome to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome to improve awareness; and what steps they will take to increase early diagnosis and prevention of long-term metabolic conditions.

The Government recognises that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polyendocrine metabolic ovary syndrome (PMOS), have been failed for far too long, and we acknowledge the impact it has on women’s lives, relationships, and participation in education and the workforce.

We recognise the need to improve awareness of PMOS, and welcome the renaming of this condition to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, a change that reflects the multisystemic nature of the condition.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, published in April 2026, represents a decisive shift towards addressing longstanding failings in women’s health outcomes, experiences, and access to care. The strategy announces a new programme to improve education for girls about their menstrual health, investing an additional £1 million to support targeted work in schools and community settings to support girls’ knowledge about menstrual health and when to seek healthcare. This investment in improved information will help women and girls know when to seek healthcare, which is an important factor in the diagnosis and treatment in conditions like PMOS.

In 2025, the Department for Education published revised statutory guidance on relationships and sex education and health education in schools, covering women's health topics including menstrual health, premenstrual syndrome, heavy periods, endometriosis, PMOS, and guidance for when to seek healthcare advice.

We are also introducing an “online hospital”, NHS Online. From 2027, people on certain pathways, including menstrual problems that may be a sign of PMOS, will have the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is developing guidance on PMOS and will publish a consultation of its draft guidelines in July.