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 Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is calling for 'urgent action' to tackle the backlog, which has doubled since the pandemic The waiting list for gynaecological care in England alone currently stands at almost 600,000.
Around half (46 per cent) had been waiting for longer than the target of 18 weeks as of April this year, and one in 20 (5 per cent) had been waiting for more than a year, equal to 29,660. Meanwhile, there were almost 143,000 emergency admissions in gynaecology in March 2021, rising to nearly 170,000 in March 2023 - the latest figures available. RCOG has produced a new data dashboard showing the proportion of long waits around the UK, published in partnership with LCP Health Analytics.
This draws on NHS data and states that across the UK the current waiting list for gynaecology services stands at 751,531. It also reveals a 'postcode lottery' of care, with some patients having to wait weeks longer, on average, compared with others in neighbouring regions. Jane Plumb, women's voices lead at RCOG, said: 'Shockingly, over three-quarters of a million women and people across the UK are being left to grapple with serious, often progressive, gynaecological conditions, enduring months - sometimes years - of suffering.
'We've heard from thousands of women and people about this - the impact reaches every part of their lives. 'Some have even been forced to give up work due to the severity of their symptoms. 'Even worse, those in more deprived areas face the longest wait times, piling inequality upon inequality.
It's time to act on this urgent issue.' Dr Ranee Thakar, president of RCOG, said: 'Women's health has long been deprioritised and underfunded, but our new dashboard has, for the first time, revealed the true scale of the gynaecology care crisis. 'The women I see in my clinic are grappling with serious conditions like prolapse and incontinence.
Read More NHS isn't getting better: Hospital waiting lists have RISEN again, new data reveals 'This has a devastating effect on their mental health, family life, and ability to work or even leave their house.' She added: 'If the new UK Government wants to deliver their election pledges of prioritising women's health and cutting waiting lists, then tackling gynaecology waits must be top of their list. 'We urge them to take action in their first 100 days in power to show they are serious about change.
' It comes as 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 letter, written by faculty president Dr Janet Barter and signed by more than 800 clinicians, highlights 'shocking health inequalities women and girls currently face across the UK'. It states that 'too many people are unable to access the critical services they need'.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'It is unacceptable that so many women are not receiving the gynaecology care they need, when they need it. 'This government is determined to change that and is committed to prioritising women's health. 'We have launched an investigation into the NHS, led by Professor Lord Darzi, to uncover the extent of the issues facing the nation's health service, the first step on the road to recovery for the NHS.
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