Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Emma Hardy and Nadine Dorries

Thursday 17th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab)]

T6. Endometriosis UK found that 476,000 British women had to visit their GP more than 11 times for a positive diagnosis, and that their pain was often dismissed as being psychological. What steps is the Minister taking to eliminate gender bias in the diagnosis of health conditions?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ms Nadine Dorries)]

On the particular issue of endometriosis, I will have to write back to the hon. Lady, but being wrongly diagnosed as having a mental health condition is incredibly serious, and we are looking into rolling out training to GPs to help them better to diagnose mental health conditions. I will use this opportunity to say again that we are investing £2.3 billion a year in mental health services in the community, and hopefully that will go into GP practices and GPs will know not to make those kinds of diagnoses in future. I will get back to the hon. Lady on that particular condition.