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Endometriosis Services — [Peter Dowd in the Chair]
24 March 2026
Lead MP
Jack Abbott
Ipswich
Lab Co-op
Responding Minister
Sharon Hodgson
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Word Count: 11682
Other Contributors: 15
At a Glance
Jack Abbott raised concerns about endometriosis services — [peter dowd in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Abbott urged the Government to ensure equitable access to specialist endometriosis services locally, so that digital access through NHS Online is not the only option. He called for a comprehensive approach including face-to-face consultations and local provision of specialists.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Jack Abbott highlighted that endometriosis affects one in ten women, approximately 1.5 million people in the UK. He pointed out that there is no specialist endometriosis clinic at Ipswich Hospital, forcing women to travel for care despite chronic pain and long wait times. The speaker shared Monica Thomas's experience of waiting 17 years for a diagnosis and now facing additional thoracic issues. Abbott also noted that women often face dismissive attitudes from healthcare providers, with an average nine-year delay from symptom onset to diagnosis.
Adam Dance
Lib Dem
Yeovil
Adam Dance highlighted the case of Ami, a constituent who suffered from endometriosis for 22 years before receiving an accurate diagnosis and subsequent surgery that left her permanently infertile. He also mentioned Olivia, another constituent awaiting diagnosis for six months at a time. Dance criticised the failure of health services to properly diagnose endometriosis and emphasised the need for better public awareness and training for healthcare professionals. Ami is watching from home and thanks everyone for speaking. She mentioned that continuity in seeing the same GP would help, as it took her 22 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis. Additionally, raising the limit for fertility treatment could assist those affected by endometriosis who face challenges in having children.
Alex Easton
Ind
North Down
An estimated 75,000 women in Northern Ireland are living with endometriosis, facing an average wait of seven to eight years for diagnosis. He emphasises the need for proper implementation of national clinical guidelines and recommends that every hospital trust should have a designated endometriosis lead clinician.
Danny Chambers
Lib Dem
Winchester
My partner Emma has severe endometriosis, experiencing debilitating pain and being dismissed by healthcare professionals for years before receiving a diagnosis. This is a common story illustrating the need for better support and recognition of symptoms.
Gregory Campbell
DUP
East Londonderry
Gregory Campbell agreed with Adam Dance's call for greater understanding of endometriosis among GPs, suggesting that the British Medical Association could assist in raising awareness and ensuring that general practitioners across the UK have a better understanding of the condition.
Helen Morgan
Lib Dem
North Shropshire
Endometriosis affects 10% of women, causing chronic pain and fertility issues. The average diagnosis time is nine years and four months, highlighting institutional misogyny in dismissing women's health concerns. Helen Morgan highlighted cases like Lucy, who faced undiagnosed pain for years, and Bethany, who waited months for an appointment after a polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
She highlighted the long waiting times for diagnosis, noting it had increased to nine years and four months. She suggested that having more specialist endometriosis nurses could help improve services.
Jessica Brown-Fuller
Lib Dem
Chichester
Jessica Brown-Fuller highlighted the personal and societal impact of endometriosis, recounting her own experiences with family members suffering from it. She cited instances where women were misdiagnosed or dismissed by medical professionals for over a decade before receiving proper treatment. The MP emphasized the need for earlier diagnosis to prevent long-term suffering and shared a constituent's story about her daughter showing similar symptoms as when she was a teenager, highlighting the cyclical nature of undiagnosed conditions. She advocated for more investment in women's health research and mandatory gynaecological training for clinicians.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
He emphasised the importance of supporting women's gynaecology services, particularly in Northern Ireland where waiting times for diagnosis and treatment are long. He discussed personal experiences with endometriosis, including his wife's and a staff member's struggles.
Liz Jarvis
Lib Dem
Eastleigh
Women with endometriosis face an average nine-year delay in diagnosis, leading to significant pain, missed opportunities, and mental health issues. The economic cost is estimated at £11 billion annually. Constituents like Lucy have endured years of suffering before receiving a proper diagnosis.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Hon. Members have shared powerful stories from their constituents, highlighting the reality faced by many women with endometriosis who endure years of pain and are often dismissed by healthcare providers. The hon. Member pointed out that current changes may worsen access to care despite previous improvements made by the last Government, such as rolling out 161 community diagnostic centres for ultrasounds, MRI, CT scans, and blood tests. Luke Evans also raised concerns about the proposed advice and guidance system which might divert one in four GP referrals back to GPs, thereby delaying necessary specialist care.
Mark Sewards
Lab
Leeds South West and Morley
He commends his hon. Friend on the powerful argument presented and acknowledges women's experiences of being told their pain was normal by health professionals. He welcomes the Department of Health and Social Care's commitment to renew the women's health strategy, advocating for a comprehensive plan that includes resources, training, and funding.
Mims Davies
Con
East Grinstead and Uckfield
As a clinician and MP, Mims Davies emphasised the impact of delayed diagnoses on A&E services. She cited her constituent Eleanor's experience with pelvic congestion syndrome, which has severely disrupted her life. The Minister is being generous in giving way, and I wish her extremely well in her new post. On the reconstruction of how services work, could the Minister undertake to do work for people like my constituent Eleanor so that there is a reduction in A&E visits because other services are working?
Sorcha Eastwood
Alliance
Lagan Valley
She valued the hon. Member's contribution and acknowledged the work of Endo Warriors Northern Ireland for their efforts to address endometriosis in Northern Ireland.
Tulip Siddiq
Lab
Hampstead and Highgate
Ms. Tulip Siddiq highlighted the case of her constituent Sanju Pal, who won a legal battle against unfair dismissal due to endometriosis, setting a precedent for it being recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. She stressed that not everyone should have to endure years of mental trauma fighting their rights in court and called for specific workplace conditions and reasonable adjustments for those suffering from endometriosis. Ms. Siddiq also noted that only one in ten women suffer from endometriosis, based on a study from 2009, urging for an update to this data to better understand the current situation of women diagnosed with the condition. My hon. Friend has just appeared, but under parliamentary conventions cannot intervene; I rise to say that she is hosting a screening of a BAFTA-winning film about endometriosis and the experiences of women in the Jubilee Room at 4:30 pm.
Wera Hobhouse
Lib Dem
Bath
Ms Hobhouse highlighted the challenges faced by women with endometriosis, including delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment. She shared a personal story of her staff member's experience to illustrate the common struggles: years of severe pain, repeated GP visits without proper care, and eventual diagnosis after seeking help from a young female GP. Ms Hobhouse pointed out that 39% of respondents had to visit their GP more than ten times before getting suspected for endometriosis, while nearly half of women going to hospitals leave with no treatment. She raised concerns about the impact on fertility and employment opportunities, noting lower earnings and reduced employment for diagnosed women.
Government Response
Sharon Hodgson
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich on securing this very important debate. Monica's distressing experience highlights that we still have more work to do to ensure that all women with endometriosis can access the care they need. The Government are not waiting: we have already taken action to ensure that women with endometriosis have access to the services they need, including introducing Jess's rule and rolling out Martha's rule. We are also expanding access to diagnostic services, modernising how specialist care is delivered, and supporting integrated care boards to expand women's health services at neighbourhood level. The Department has commissioned several studies focused on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and patient experience, with an investment of approximately £7.8 million. Research has already led to new treatments being made available, including NICE approval of two pills to treat endometriosis. Better care depends on better understanding, and we are working to improve public and healthcare professionals' awareness of endometriosis. We have published a neighbourhood health framework to shift the centre of gravity of care from hospitals to communities. Since coming into office, this Government have delivered over 5 million extra appointments in our first year; reduced gynaecological waiting lists by over 24,000 women; and given women easier access to the morning-after pill free of charge.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.