Yesterday, 5th March 2025, the Government shared their response to the recommendations made by the Women and Equalities Committee's inquiry into "women’s reproductive health conditions"
View the Government's response here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-women-and-equalities-committee-report-on-womens-reproductive-health-conditions.
Endometriosis UK response:
"Endometriosis UK is pleased to see endometriosis as a prominent issue in the Government’s response to the Women and Equalities Committee first report, which highlighted the unacceptable delays women and those assigned female at birth are facing in accessing diagnosis and treatment. The evidence is clear that those with the disease, or who are experiencing symptoms, have not been getting the support that they need to diagnose and manage their condition for far too long. This is impacting their physical and mental health, education, and employment. Without a diagnosis and without access to treatments, as well as suffering sometimes debilitating symptoms the disease may progress.
We welcome the Government’s commitment to stop the use of the term 'benign gynaecology' which for decades has undermined the severity of endometriosis and menstrual health conditions. Endometriosis UK campaigned alongside the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for this change; and we are looking forward to this harmful term becoming a thing of the past.
It is a welcome step that the Government will consider developing more training materials for teachers to ensuring menstrual health education is properly implemented across schools, which is vital to ensure all young people know what is a normal period and what isn't, when to seek help, and to overcome the taboos of speaking about periods and menstrual health. Following a successful campaign to get menstrual health included in the school curriculum from 2020, Endometriosis UK has been pushing for this to be implemented effectively.
However, there are clear missed opportunities for change that must be addressed. Not only will streamlining endometriosis diagnosis and treatment reduce suffering, it will save NHS resources by reducing the multiple GP, A&E and hospital appointments where symptoms are missed, or not believed. The forthcoming Plan for Change and 10 Year Health Plan being developed, and alignment of the Women’s Health Strategy provides the perfect opportunity to rectify this wrong. Change is essential if those with endometriosis and menstrual health conditions are to stop facing unacceptable delays in accessing diagnosis and treatment.
We now look forward to working with Government to ensure there are no more missed opportunities to prioritise and tackle the many long-standing issues facing those with endometriosis and ensuring the necessary resources, funding and capacity to delivering the care those with the disease need".
