Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland on improving health outcomes for people on waiting lists for the treatment of endometriosis.

It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment, including for endometriosis. Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We recognise the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the significant impact it has on their lives, their relationships and their participation in education and the workforce.

Departmental officials have met and continue to meet with counterparts across the four nations to share learning across a range of women’s health policy issues, including menstrual health. Together we aim to deliver faster, improved, and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, and to strengthen our collaboration in achieving these common goals.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has identified challenges within gynaecology care, including for endometriosis and commissioned NHS England's Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme to conduct an independent review of gynaecology waiting lists in Northern Ireland, published in January 2024. The report set out a number of recommendations and is available at the following link:

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/gynaecology-girft-report-january-2024