WOMEN suffering with an agonising medical condition which can lead to infertility are being left waiting more than seven years on average for a diagnosis, a report to Staffordshire councillors has revealed.
It also highlighted that since the Covid pandemic, some of those with endometriosis have endured a wait of almost nine years for diagnosis and treatment.
A women’s health working group at Staffordshire County Council is now hoping to raise more awareness of the condition.
The report, presented to a council scrutiny committee meeting, said:
“Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that is meant to grow only in the uterus grows elsewhere causing inflammation, bleeding and the formation of scar tissue.
“It can lead to infertility, chronic pain, and reduced quality of life. Laparoscopy is the only definite investigation to confirm the presence of endometriosis due to variance in clinical presentation.”
Councillor Janice Silvester-Hall, who chaired the Women’s Health Strategy working group, told the meeting that endometriosis was chosen to be the group’s focus “because of the lack of profile it had”.
She added:
“From the data that was provided, it often requires over eight years and countless GP appointments before a diagnosis can be made.
“There are still stigmas and taboos about what people will and will not discuss. I think that’s one of the ways we can, in our own capacities, try and help, to make that less of a case.
“One of the recommendations is this report is shared with Keele University, as well as our district and borough councils. Another is to put it through onto the GP training syllabus, which it isn’t at the moment – that was a recommendation that came through from a GP in particular.”
Cllr Ann Edgeller, who was part of the working group, said:
“Knowing that it takes eight years to get any sort of help is absolutely ridiculous.
“When I look back at being in charge of two offices, with 30 women in each office many years ago, I didn’t realise that this existed and the problems women were having when they came and said they were in pain.”
“An issue that can’t be swept under the carpet”
Cllr Julia Jessel said she was pleased to see a shift in society’s attitude towards the condition.
She said:
“When I was younger it was ‘take an aspirin and get on with it’.
“Now our economy and society has a far different view of women. Women are an essential part of the workforce and if you feel like death warmed up it’s very difficult to go to work, sit at a desk, stand in a shop or do anything if you’re feeling really, really low.
“I think the shift in how our society operates has really reinforced that this is an issue that can’t be swept under the carpet, and doesn’t just go by having a good walk and fresh air.”
Other members of the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee also welcomed the report at their meeting
Cllr Steven Norman said:
“It was the most depressing read I’ve had on this committee – awareness has got to be improved. I felt so bad that it is little-known and little work has been done on it.
“I know women have a raw deal. Hopefully this excellent work that has been done by the group is something that can be acted on and improved on.”
Committee chairman Cllr Richard Cox said:
“It is very sobering if you are a member of the opposite gender. I didn’t know very much about it until I read this report.
“There is still a lot of learning that we can all be doing. I think we should add to the recommendation to share the report with Keele University for research to be conducted.”