Urgent help for women currently on hospital waiting lists and long-term, sustainable funding to tackle the crisis is needed
A new report published today (18 November) by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has revealed the true scale and impact of the UK’s gynaecology care crisis, with over three quarters of a million (763,694) women and people* currently waiting for months and years with serious gynaecological conditions.
The number of women waiting for hospital gynaecology services would fill Wembley stadium eight times over. More women are also now requiring emergency care to manage severe symptoms, with gynaecology emergency admissions in England increasing by a third (33%) between 2021 and 2024.
Developing the new report, ‘Waiting for a way forward: Voices of women and healthcare professionals at the centre of the gynaecology care crisis’, the RCOG surveyed over 2000 affected women and over 300 healthcare professionals to fully understand the impact of the care crisis.
Over three quarters (76%) of women waiting for care reported worsening mental health and over two thirds (69%) reported being unable to take part in daily activities including work.
Healthcare professionals reported being deeply concerned for their patients and the majority of primary (65%) and secondary care clinicians (69%) surveyed reported their own health and wellbeing has been affected by managing pressure in their clinics.
Additionally, over 90% of primary care professionals reported a severe impact on general practice due to longer waits for hospital gynaecology services.
A way forward is urgently needed, and the RCOG is calling on the UK Government to deliver urgent help for women and people currently waiting for hospital gynaecology care, and for long-term, sustained funding to address the complex systemic issues driving waiting list growth.
Waiting for a way forward was funded by Theramex and follows on from the RCOG’s 2022 Left for Too Long report, and makes recommendations on how governments can support the health system to deliver high quality gynaecology care across the UK.
Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said,
“A way forward is urgently needed to tackle the UK gynaecology crisis. Our new report shows too many women are waiting too long with serious conditions that can devastate their lives. NHS staff are also deeply concerned and distressed that they do not have the necessary resources to deliver good care, affecting their own wellbeing.
“UK governments must act now. The RCOG is calling on them to commit to long-term, sustained funding to address the systemic issues driving waiting lists, alongside delivering an urgent support package for those currently on waiting lists.”
“This investment will not only benefit thousands of individual women but the wider economy too, because the evidence shows that healthy women are the cornerstone of healthy societies. Get it right for women and everyone benefits.”
Jane Plumb, RCOG Women’s Voices Lead, said:
The state of gynaecology waiting lists in the UK is a crisis that demands immediate attention. Millions of people are waiting for non-cancer hospital gynaecological care, many are suffering with severe pain and heavy bleeding, the impact on their physical and mental health is devastating.
The heart-wrenching testimonials we've heard underscore the significant consequences of these delays. It's imperative that all UK governments prioritise this issue, allocating resources to provide timely, compassionate care. Women's voices must be heard, and we must take action now to address their urgent needs and alleviate their suffering."
India Weir, 27 from near Edinburgh, comments:
“I’ve been living with chronic pelvic pain and significant symptoms associated with endometriosis since 2017 and have been on and off gynaecology waiting lists throughout this time. I’m currently waiting for surgery to manage my deep infiltrating endometriosis and ovarian cysts.
“Physically, being in pain every single day takes a huge toll on me whilst I have to get on with day-to-day life. Also, living with the uncertainty of when I’ll undergo surgery makes it hard to plan ahead. It impacts every part of my life and my quality of life. My relationships, friendships, social life, career and mental health are all affected – and my condition is getting worse without treatment and relevant care.”
Kerry Briggs, early 50s from near Manchester, comments:
“I’ve been on a waiting list for treatment for fibroids since January 2023. During this time, I’ve experienced severe bleeding, back pain, hip pain and had to manage challenging symptoms of anaemia as a result of my blood loss.
“The anxiety I’ve felt whilst waiting has been all encompassing. I can’t book anything in advance and I feel completely stuck in the house. If you don’t have cancer, your condition is given less urgency and importance but there is no part of my life left untouched by this. It has to be taken more seriously.”
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:
“GPs understand how hard living with a gynaecological condition can be, and how frustrating and concerning it is to have to wait months or even years for the right specialist care. GPs and our teams play a key role in managing our patients’ conditions while they are on waiting lists, and it is deeply worrying to see their health deteriorating, becoming more complex to treat, and affecting their quality of life while they wait. As GPs, we carry the additional risk of patients’ conditions worsening while they wait many months for specialist treatment. It is part of our normal practice now to ask women we have referred to a gynaecologist to let us know if their symptoms are worsening, so that we can alert the hospital waiting list and expedite the referral if needed.
“Women’s health – including gynaecology - is a key part of the RCGP curriculum. There is a lot of support we can and do offer but in many cases, the most appropriate course of action is to refer to specialist care and services - however access is patchy and waiting lists are far too long. Cutting waiting lists will benefit everyone across the NHS, particularly outpatients, and we need to see everything being done to make this possible.”
Rebecca Sloan, Women’s health lead at LCP Health Analytics, commented:
“The report highlights the ongoing challenges facing gynaecology health services UK wide which has very real implications for patients and those treating them. The analysis should help healthcare professionals and policymakers to identify where additional resource and focus is likely to have greatest impact on patient outcomes and health inequalities.”