Dr Edward Morris
President, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
Gynaecology waiting lists continue to grow, and waiting times are having a severe impact on women who are left to suffer from worsening symptoms.
The pandemic has put extra strain on the NHS, and women are now waiting longer than ever for care. Across the UK, waiting lists for gynaecology reached nearly 610,000 women as of March 2022. This is just over a 69% increase since pre-pandemic levels. Gynaecology waiting lists in England had a disproportionately high growth compared to all other elective specialities.
Gynaecological conditions and the impact on quality of life
Awareness of gynaecological conditions and health is growing, and many will now be familiar with common conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and incontinence.
What is less recognised is the impact that common gynaecological conditions can have on women’s quality of life. Common symptoms of gynaecological and urogynaecological conditions include heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain and incontinence. The prolonged waits that women are facing often mean that women are left with debilitating and worsening symptoms for far longer than they should.
In England, the number of women and people waiting over a year for care is at its highest point ever in gynaecology, increasing from 66 in February 2020 to just over 34,000 at the end of June 2022.
In a survey of over 800 women waiting for gynaecological care, more than 75% of respondents reported that their symptoms had worsened while they waited for treatment. On top of this, 80% of respondents reported that their mental health had worsened. The overall impact is that these prolonged waits severely affect women’s quality of life, their mental health and their ability to work and socialise.
80% of respondents reported that their mental health had worsened.
Moving away from ‘benign’
The RCOG is calling for the impact of gynaecological conditions to be fully recognised and for a shift in the way that gynaecology is prioritised across the health service.
The impact on physical and mental health, quality of life, ability to work and socialise and the possible impact on fertility must be considered for women waiting for care. With the recent publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, gynaecology waiting lists can no longer be ignored. There must be a move away from using the term ‘benign’ to describe gynaecological conditions. Gynaecology has been seen for too long as a second-class speciality.
We are working with policymakers and the NHS to ensure the effective recovery of gynaecology services and that meaningful action is taken to meet the needs of women on waiting lists.
Find our full report here – rcog.shorthandstories.com/lefttoolong
