Asked by: Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour - Penrith and Solway)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure accurate recording of a presumed diagnosis of endometriosis in primary care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
General practices are expected to follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidance for the treatment and management of clinical conditions, as part of meeting the reasonable needs of patients. The NICE guidance on endometriosis is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73?UID=83951178202532511728
Dec. 10 2024
Source Page: Characteristics of women with an endometriosis diagnosis in England: 27 March 2011 to 31 December 2021Found: Characteristics of women with an endometriosis diagnosis in England: 27 March 2011 to 31 December 2021
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help to reduce the average diagnosis time for endometriosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tackling waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are urgently looking into waiting times for gynaecological issues, including for endometriosis.
Funding has been confirmed to support the delivery of our commitment to an extra 40,000 National Health Service operations, scans, and appointments per week, a first step to delivering on the 18-week standard.
The Department is working with NHS England to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. This is a key step to reducing endometriosis diagnosis times, as they will include care for menstrual problems, including endometriosis.
The recently updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on the diagnosis of endometriosis will also help women to receive a diagnosis more quickly.
Mentions:
1: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Lab - Clapham and Brixton Hill) Endometriosis UK, which provides the secretariat of the all-party parliamentary group on endometriosis - Speech Link
2: Alec Shelbrooke (Con - Wetherby and Easingwold) Lady said about endometriosis in the workplace. - Speech Link
3: Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) The result is that it takes almost nine years on average to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK - Speech Link
4: Karin Smyth (Lab - Bristol South) We are making progress to ensure that those with endometriosis receive a timely diagnosis and effective - Speech Link
5: Karin Smyth (Lab - Bristol South) can receive timely diagnosis and treatment. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Helena Dollimore (LAB - Hastings and Rye) getting diagnosed and then having difficulties obtaining treatment when they do finally get that diagnosis - Speech Link
2: Wera Hobhouse (LD - Bath) A constituent recently reached out to me about the length of time it takes to get an endometriosis diagnosis - Speech Link
3: Sarah Owen (Lab - Luton North) The average wait for a diagnosis for endometriosis and adenomyosis is eight years. - Speech Link
Increase funding for Endometriosis care and support
- 536 Signatures
(Estimated Final Signatures: 595 - 3 added in the past 24hrs)
We want more funding for specialists and resources for faster diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis and expand support services and fertility support. We want further investment in research to improve diagnostic tools and develop treatments. This could reduce NHS waiting times.
Found: Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women in the UK, and can cause chronic pain, and immense strain.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to shorten the diagnosis time for endometriosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition, estimated to affect one in 10 women of reproductive age. Endometriosis can significantly impact women and girls’ physical and mental health, and anyone with symptoms of endometriosis should contact their general practice.
Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, and we are committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future. We will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments per week, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks.
Asked by: Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour - Penrith and Solway)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to reduce diagnosis times for people with endometriosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition, estimated to affect one in 10 women of reproductive age. Endometriosis can significantly impact women and girls’ physical and mental health, and anyone with symptoms of endometriosis should contact their general practice.
Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, and we are committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future. We will deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments per week, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring that patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks.
Mentions:
1: Hamilton, Rachael (Con - Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is marking endometriosis awareness month. - Speech Link
2: Swinney, John (SNP - Perthshire North) That is why endometriosis is a priority in our women’s health plan. - Speech Link
3: Hamilton, Rachael (Con - Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) Although the SNP said that it would bring the waiting time for endometriosis diagnosis down to 12 months - Speech Link
Asked by: Lumsden, Douglas (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time for endometriosis (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment has been across NHS boards in each of the last five years.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Routinely collected data on the waiting time for a diagnosis of endometriosis are not available.
However, in 2024 Endometriosis UK published a report based on a survey of 4,371 people who received a diagnosis of endometriosis from a medical practitioner or following a diagnostic intervention. The report suggested that the current average waiting time for a endometriosis diagnosis in Scotland is now 8 years and 10 months.
Endometriosis has two stages of diagnosis, a working diagnosis at primary care level and a confirmed diagnosis via laparoscopy at secondary care. Not everyone with endometriosis will want to have a laparoscopy to confirm their diagnosis, particularly if their symptoms can be well managed.
We know that excessively long waits for laparoscopy are not acceptable and we apologise to all patients waiting too long. We are determined to drive improvements in this area and continue to work with NHS boards on a number of actions which will see patients treated as quickly as possible.
We want people to achieve a working diagnosis as soon as possible to enable swift access to appropriate care and treatment.
There are several treatment options to manage the symptoms of endometriosis. These include pain management options and hormonal contraception as well as surgical interventions including laparoscopy. There is no cure for endometriosis. More information can be found on NHS Inform.
As set out in the Endometriosis Care Pathway for NHS Scotland clinicians should consider women’s individual needs in order to determine treatment for example symptoms, aspects of daily living and desire for fertility.
Through the actions set out in our Women’s Health Plan we have taken steps to support both women and health professionals to learn more about endometriosis, the symptoms and treatment options.
Further information about the progress to date against each of the priorities in the Women’s Health Plan can be found in the Women’s Health Plan Final Report.