{"id":195307,"date":"2025-06-18T20:37:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T20:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/195307\/"},"modified":"2025-06-18T20:37:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T20:37:18","slug":"how-london-is-leaving-women-behind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/195307\/","title":{"rendered":"how London is leaving women behind"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the UK, one in ten women of reproductive age are living with endometriosis, a chronic condition that causes debilitating pain, fatigue, and in many cases, infertility.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gynaecology is the worst affected specialism since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, five years on, waiting lists have more than doubled<\/a> from February 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The wait is exacerbating the suffering of an estimated 1.5 million women in the UK currently affected with the dubbed \u2018missed disease\u2019, according to the NHS and Endometriosis UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The delay has worsened, the average time<\/a> to diagnosis now stands at eight years and ten months, up from eight years in 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Endometriosis is not rare, yet it is treated like a mystery by the healthcare system.<\/p>\n

A decade of pain and no answers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Megan Wheeler, 29, began experiencing symptoms as a teenage girl and described a pattern of being repeatedly dismissed by doctors.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cFrom trying to discuss symptoms with a GP to diagnosis, it took 14 years. I lost friends, confidence and my dream job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still remember the heated argument I had with a GP just to be referred to gynaecology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told almost word for word that my pain was \u2018normal\u2019 and something everyone gets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat moment shaped the next seven years of my life. I internalized the belief that the pain was in my head, that I was just weaker than other women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Megan\u2019s experience aligns with wider national findings. <\/p>\n

According to a 2024 report <\/a>by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), nearly half of all patients who visited their GP with symptoms were either misdiagnosed or dismissed.<\/p>\n

A growing backlog<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gynaecology waiting lists in England have more than doubled since 2018, worsening delays for endometriosis patients.<\/p>\n

The data tells a deeper story<\/strong><\/p>\n

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to major London NHS Trusts reveal concerning disparities in how cases are managed in the capital.<\/p>\n

Some trusts were unable to provide endometriosis-specific figures at all, noting that data may have been \u2018coded under general gynaecological categories\u2019, which in itself highlights a lack of clarity around a condition affecting millions.<\/p>\n

Where data was available, the picture was mixed.<\/p>\n

Croydon Health Services reported an average 2.2-month delay from GP referral to hospital appointment \u2013 though reports suggest that many referrals are often rejected due to insufficient evidence.<\/p>\n

In 2024-25, referral numbers dropped by 400 year-on-year, and only 12 diagnostic laparoscopies were carried out \u2013 the lowest on record.<\/p>\n

This contrasted sharply with Kingston and Richmond NHS Trust, where 172 diagnostic procedures took place during the same period.<\/p>\n

This stark drop in Croydon raises questions about resourcing, clinical prioritisation, and access to the only definitive diagnostic tool, laparoscopy surgery.<\/p>\n

UCLH turned around referrals faster, but their demographic analysis suggested White British women were diagnosed more frequently than Black, Asian or other minority ethnic patients, at a rate disproportionately higher than their share of the population<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, meanwhile, showed a higher volume of referrals, but flagged inconsistent access to follow-up care.<\/p>\n

Diagnosis gaps that data makes clear<\/strong><\/p>\n

To understand this disparity better, we turn to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) bulletin published in March 2024, which examined more than 260,000 diagnoses in England between 2011 and 2021.<\/p>\n

In a breakdown <\/a>of those cases, it was revealed that more than 80% of those diagnosed with endometriosis were White British, while just around 6% were Asian or Asian British and 4% Black or Black British.<\/p>\n

This contrasts with the ethnic makeup of the UK population<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The chart displayed profiles 260,000 cases between 2011\u20132021<\/p>\n

These discrepancies cannot be explained by demographics alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Factors such as language barriers, clinical bias, and limited access to specialists in certain regions all likely contribute.<\/p>\n

A postcode lottery of care<\/strong><\/p>\n

With London being one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Europe, the gaps in provision between inner and outer boroughs risk deepening health inequalities even further.<\/p>\n

While areas like Westminster have BSGE-accredited centres (British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy), boroughs such as Barking do not, often leaving patients travelling long distances or enduring long waits.<\/p>\n

Dr Marisa Mason, Chief Executive of NCEPOD said: \u201cThe disparities aren\u2019t just about time to diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey concern where you live, your GP\u2019s awareness, and how persistent you can afford to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Mason\u2019s team gathered data from hospitals across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

They used anonymised case records to map care journeys, referral patterns, and the presence, or absence, of mental health support.<\/p>\n

Dr Mason said: \u201cIt became clear that the biggest barrier to early diagnosis is simply a lack of awareness among GPs, patients, and even specialists.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone presents differently, I mean one patient even bled from their ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no single test, which makes diagnosis even harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

The human cost<\/strong><\/p>\n

Endometriosis can take away years of a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

The NCEPOD <\/a>report found:<\/p>\n