Women enduring 'years of suffering' as more than 750,000 stuck on NHS waiting lists for gynaecology services, figures reveal By Shaun Wooller, Health Editor For The Daily Mail Published: 19:32 EDT, 23 July 2024 | Updated: 19:47 EDT, 23 July 2024 e-mail View comments More than 750,000 women are now languishing on NHS waiting lists for gynaecology services - with some enduring 'years of suffering' due to delays, a study reveals. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is calling for 'urgent action' to tackle the backlog, which has doubled since the pandemic. Its analysis shows gynaecology waiting lists in England have grown faster than any other speciality since 2000, with more patients referred every month than are seen and treated.
The College claims women's health has 'long been deprioritised and underfunded' and warns the resulting delays mean some women have deteriorated to such an extent while waiting for care that they have had to be admitted to hospital in an emergency. The physical and mental impact of conditions such as prolapse and incontinence can be so devastating that women are forced to give up work while they wait, while others are unable to even leave their house, RCOG added. Across the UK the current waiting list for gynaecology services stands at 751,531 The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare wrote to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to urge him to prioritise sexual and reproductive health 'as a matter of urgency' The Royal College of O.