Commenting on the new report by RCOG, Waiting for a Way forward, Wellbeing of Women's Chief Executive, Janet Lindsay said:

“Sadly, the findings in this report aren’t shocking to us, as our supporters regularly tell us about the terrible impact untreated gynaecological conditions have on their lives, from education, to work, and family life. Worse, they feel dismissed or deprioritised by a healthcare system that was designed by men for men. Despite living longer, women will spend more time living with ill health and disability and many are still too ashamed to talk about their reproductive health problems.

We fully support the recommendations made in the report and urge the Government to commit to prioritising tackling these crippling waiting times. We would also like to see more funding for research into women’s health, so that there are more and better options for women who need treatment and care. Education is equally vital, both for healthcare professionals and society, to tackle dismissal and ensure women seek help earlier and avoid delayed diagnoses. Providing more and sustained investment in Women's Health Hubs could also help by shifting simpler cases, like coil fittings for heavy menstrual bleeding, into the community, easing the burden on secondary care and improving access to timely care.

It is especially important that we make sure no-woman is left behind, and that the Government invests efforts to understand and remove barriers to healthcare for women from marginalised groups.”