The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) claims that women’s healthcare is in crisis.
The number of patients on the NHS waiting list for non-cancerous gynaecological appointments has more than doubled since the pandemic, and could fill Wembley Stadium eight times.
Adding to these pressures, gynaecology emergency admissions in England have increased by 33% between 2021 and 2024.
As a consequence, many women turn to emergency care to manage their severe symptoms of period pains, endometriosis, and Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
‘It felt like I had to persuade people to listen to me’
City News spoke to women aged between 20 and 25 and live in London, who shared their direct experiences with emergency admissions and delayed diagnoses for menstrual health issues. Some preferred to use pseudonyms rather than their real names.
‘Emma’ told us about her experience going to A&E for endometriosis symptoms. She explained she was put off finding solutions within traditional healthcare due to the waiting list:
“I was chasing a lot of doctors a few years ago and have subsequently given up, partly due to the way that women’s pain is treated in comparison to men’s.
“Also, as a woman of colour, there seems to be this underlying assumption that we handle pain better, or differently? But also, this underlying assumption that we are more dramatic?”
‘Nandita’ described experiencing painful periods that led her to skip lessons, vomit, and lose her hair. When raising her concerns, she noticed a lack of reactivity or priority from healthcare professionals:
“It felt like I had to persuade people to listen. I had to make a case or prepare like I was in an interview. Menstrual health is a taboo issue at home, and then you have to push to be heard at the doctors.”
But she was careful not to criticise the individuals that comprise the NHS workforce: “It feels like the NHS is trying its best to put a badge on a bullet wound.
“Contraceptive pills for reproductive issues feels like a makeshift solution for the time being.”
We also spoke to Mohona: “I waited for two years to get diagnosed. My hope as a patient from the NHS is for women’s health to be taken more seriously by the government.
“Why is this issue so neglected? At the end of the day, it has a knock-on effect to so many aspects of a woman’s life.”
‘We’re urged to unpick stereotypes about pain management’
‘Ella’, who recently left the NHS after 25 years in women’s healthcare told City News about the issues:
“We receive training and education on how women of colour are often not given enough pain relief. We’re urged to unpick stereotypes about pain management. But there’s always more to be done.”
Jane Plumb, the Women’s Voices Lead for the RCOG shared her thoughts on what we had heard: “It’s imperative that all UK governments prioritise this issue, allocating resources to provide timely, compassionate care.
“Women’s voices must be heard, and we must take action now to address their urgent needs and alleviate their suffering.”
Charities join forces to investigate diagnosis delays
The charities Cysters and Endometriosis UK recently announced a collaborative investigation into delayed endometriosis diagnosis amongst women of colour.
Neelam Heera, the founder of Cysters, called for this ‘radical shift’ in healthcare:
“I think what the UK doesn’t do very well in places of power, is that unless there’s a report specifically looking at marginalised communities, there isn’t a true recognition of it.
“It’s always a case of ‘we know these communities are marginalised but there’s no actionable thing to say we’re going to do this.”
The survey initiative will focus on amplifying marginalised communities’ voices to create a more inclusive process in healthcare decision-making.
Although waiting lists have slightly decreased in the past month, these charities hope their research will encourage the government into committing long-term funding into improving healthcare for women of colour.
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Standfirst
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Headline‘We need a radical shift in the way healthcare treats women of colour’
Short Headline'Women of colour's voices must be heard in healthcare'
StandfirstCity News spoke to anonymous London women of colour about their menstrual healthcare experiences
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) claims that women’s healthcare is in crisis.
The number of patients on the NHS waiting list for non-cancerous gynaecological appointments has more than doubled since the pandemic, and could fill Wembley Stadium eight times.
Adding to these pressures, gynaecology emergency admissions in England have increased by 33% between 2021 and 2024.
As a consequence, many women turn to emergency care to manage their severe symptoms of period pains, endometriosis, and Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
‘It felt like I had to persuade people to listen to me’
City News spoke to women aged between 20 and 25 and live in London, who shared their direct experiences with emergency admissions and delayed diagnoses for menstrual health issues. Some preferred to use pseudonyms rather than their real names.
‘Emma’ told us about her experience going to A&E for endometriosis symptoms. She explained she was put off finding solutions within traditional healthcare due to the waiting list:
“I was chasing a lot of doctors a few years ago and have subsequently given up, partly due to the way that women’s pain is treated in comparison to men’s.
“Also, as a woman of colour, there seems to be this underlying assumption that we handle pain better, or differently? But also, this underlying assumption that we are more dramatic?”
‘Nandita’ described experiencing painful periods that led her to skip lessons, vomit, and lose her hair. When raising her concerns, she noticed a lack of reactivity or priority from healthcare professionals:
“It felt like I had to persuade people to listen. I had to make a case or prepare like I was in an interview. Menstrual health is a taboo issue at home, and then you have to push to be heard at the doctors.”
But she was careful not to criticise the individuals that comprise the NHS workforce: “It feels like the NHS is trying its best to put a badge on a bullet wound.
“Contraceptive pills for reproductive issues feels like a makeshift solution for the time being.”
We also spoke to Mohona: “I waited for two years to get diagnosed. My hope as a patient from the NHS is for women’s health to be taken more seriously by the government.
“Why is this issue so neglected? At the end of the day, it has a knock-on effect to so many aspects of a woman’s life.”
‘We’re urged to unpick stereotypes about pain management’
‘Ella’, who recently left the NHS after 25 years in women’s healthcare told City News about the issues:
“We receive training and education on how women of colour are often not given enough pain relief. We’re urged to unpick stereotypes about pain management. But there’s always more to be done.”
Jane Plumb, the Women’s Voices Lead for the RCOG shared her thoughts on what we had heard: “It’s imperative that all UK governments prioritise this issue, allocating resources to provide timely, compassionate care.
“Women’s voices must be heard, and we must take action now to address their urgent needs and alleviate their suffering.”
Charities join forces to investigate diagnosis delays
The charities Cysters and Endometriosis UK recently announced a collaborative investigation into delayed endometriosis diagnosis amongst women of colour.
Neelam Heera, the founder of Cysters, called for this ‘radical shift’ in healthcare:
“I think what the UK doesn’t do very well in places of power, is that unless there’s a report specifically looking at marginalised communities, there isn’t a true recognition of it.
“It’s always a case of ‘we know these communities are marginalised but there’s no actionable thing to say we’re going to do this.”
The survey initiative will focus on amplifying marginalised communities’ voices to create a more inclusive process in healthcare decision-making.
Although waiting lists have slightly decreased in the past month, these charities hope their research will encourage the government into committing long-term funding into improving healthcare for women of colour.
