Western Trust welcomes major investment in endometriosis care
Derry’s specialist regional hub secures a major cash injection as Health Minister Robbie Butler moves to slash waiting lists for women.
The Western Health & Social Care Trust (Western Trust) has welcomed a £1.95 million investment in endometriosis services announced by Health Minister Robbie Bulter, which will help strengthen specialist care for women across in the Western Trust and Northern Ireland.
The Western Trust's Regional Endometriosis Service, based at Altnagelvin Hospital, provides specialist care for women living with endometriosis and is one of only two regional centres in Northern Ireland.
The investment aims to improve access to care, reduce waiting times and help ensure women receive the right treatment at the right time.
A total of £700,000 will be invested in Northern Ireland's two Regional Endometriosis Centres within the Western and Belfast Trusts, with a further £1.25 million allocated across the five Health and Social Care Trusts to strengthen local services and support the implementation of a new Regional Endometriosis Pathway.
Welcoming the announcement, Mark Gillespie, Director of Surgery, Paediatrics and Women’s Health at the Western Trust said: "We warmly welcome this important investment in endometriosis services in the Trust and the recognition it gives to the need to continue improving care and support for women living with this often debilitating condition.
"Endometriosis can have a significant impact on a woman's health, wellbeing, family life and ability to work. We know that women can experience long and difficult journeys before receiving the diagnosis and treatment they need, and we are committed to improving that experience.”
Mark added: "As one of two Regional Endometriosis Centres in Northern Ireland, our specialist team at Altnagelvin Hospital is committed to providing high-quality, patient-centred care and working collaboratively with colleagues across the region. This investment is the next important step, following our recent accreditation as an endometriosis centre.
"This investment, together with the development of a Regional Endometriosis Pathway, provides an important opportunity to strengthen services, improve access to specialist care and ensure women are supported at every stage of their journey."
Mark continued: “I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our specialist gynaecology team for their dedication and commitment to women living with endometriosis. Their expertise, compassion and determination to continually improve care has been central to the development of our service. This investment is very welcome and will support the team as we continue to strengthen services and improve the experience of women who require our care.”
The investment forms part of wider work to improve women's health and gynaecology services across Northern Ireland and will also support implementation of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Report for Gynaecology.
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has welcomed £1.95 million investment in endometriosis services across Northern Ireland, which he said marks a vital step towards improving diagnosis, treatment and support for individuals waiting on care.
Currently, in Northern Ireland it takes on average eight and a half years to secure an endometriosis diagnosis.
Speaking following the announcement, the MLA for Foyle said: “This is welcome and much needed investment, which I hope will make a real difference for those awaiting an endometriosis diagnosis or treatment here.
“For years, I’ve been raising concerns with successive Health Ministers about the unacceptable delays women face in accessing gynaecology services, securing a diagnosis and receiving treatment. The experiences shared with me by women living with this debilitating condition have been heartbreaking; I’ve heard from individuals attending Emergency Departments on a weekly basis because the pain is so severe; women who have isolated themselves completely, watching their social life become smaller and smaller because managing the condition has taken over every facet of their daily lives; to others forced to take out loans or make huge financial commitments in order to access timely private healthcare elsewhere.
"I have consistently pressed for the development of specialist Endometriosis Centres, additional laparoscopic capacity, improved regional pathways and greater investment to address the significant pressures facing gynaecology services.
"I will continue to press the Health Minister and the Department to ensure that this investment delivers for people and that endometriosis care receives the priority it deserves.”