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The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has continued to support the Women’s Health Plan through their dedicated lived experience programme, including a Women’s Health Lived Experience Stakeholder Group, to help us continue our conversation with women, and ensure women are meaningfully involved in decision making and priority setting going forward.

More information can be found in the ALLIANCE Final Report on Women’s Health Plan.

Through the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform, we have made information on a range of health topics, including endometriosis, available to women online and in one place. Reciprocal connections have been made throughout the platform with other Scottish Government sites such as Parent Club and with third sector organisations including Endometriosis UK and Endo SOS helping to raise awareness of the condition and supporting women to access the information they need when they need it.

In March 2023 we delivered an engagement campaign in partnership with Young Scot to increase young people’s awareness of endometriosis. The campaign primarily targeted those aged 11 to 25 in Scotland and provided information on how to support a young person in the process of diagnosis or who may have endometriosis.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has continued to support the Women’s Health Plan through their dedicated lived experience programme. This has included the development of the conversation café toolkit to encourage information sharing and peer support on women’s health including menstrual health and endometriosis.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Through the Women’s Health Plan we are taking steps to support both women and health professionals to learn more about endometriosis, the symptoms and treatment options to improve the diagnostic process. Our Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report on progress provides further details of our work to date.

When developing the next phase of the Plan we will build on this progress and seek to ensure that all women receive a timely diagnosis for endometriosis together with access to the care and support that they need.

For patients on a waiting list to see a healthcare specialist there is information available on NHS Inform with advice on health and wellbeing whilst they await their appointment. More information can be found at: Waiting well | NHS inform.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis can access the best possible care and support.

There is now an Endometriosis Care Pathway for NHS Scotland which aims to support healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms. All NHS Boards should be taking steps to implement the pathway.

Most individuals with endometriosis can be managed within secondary care. For patients with more complex symptoms or who need complex surgery, there are three regional specialist endometriosis centres in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow that provide multidisciplinary specialist care across Scotland.

To support health care professionals to improve their knowledge and understanding of endometriosis NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has launched an e-learning module on menstrual health available on Turas Learn. It is open to anyone working in NHS Scotland and in particular is aimed at those working in primary care.

Further training resources have also been provided through the Women’s Health Masterclass on endometriosis which provided information on diagnosis, treatment and current research on endometriosis, raising awareness of the Pathway with attendees. The resources from this event are also available on Turas Learn.

The Scottish National Menstrual Health Specialist Network provides healthcare professionals with a special interest in menstrual health a forum for peer support and sharing expert clinical advice and best practice related to menstrual health symptoms and conditions.

More information can be found in the Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report.

The Endometriosis Care Pathway for NHS Scotland aims to support healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms.

To support health care professionals to improve their knowledge and understanding of endometriosis NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has launched an e-learning module on menstrual health available on Turas Learn. It is open to anyone working in NHS Scotland and in particular is aimed at those working in primary care.

Further training resources have been provided through the Women’s Health Masterclass on endometriosis which provided information on diagnosis, treatment and current research on endometriosis, raising awareness of the Pathway with attendees. The resources from this event are available on Turas Learn.

We are currently working with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop new training resources on endometriosis, for general practitioners.

Through the Scottish National Menstrual Health Specialist Network healthcare professionals with a special interest in menstrual health have a forum for peer support and sharing expert clinical advice and best practice related to menstrual health symptoms and conditions.

More information can be found in the Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30034 on 3 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

This year, we have allocated over £450,000 to gynaecology from our £30 million targeted investment in planned care, delivering around 3,500 additional new outpatient appointments.

The 2025-26 Budget, if approved by Parliament, will provide a record £21 billion for Health & Social Care, including a commitment to provide £200 million to help reduce waiting times and address delayed discharge.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

This includes ensuring that women have access to care that adheres to the most up to date practice guidance. The endometriosis care pathway for NHS Scotland supports healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis type symptoms.

However, data on the percentage of women diagnosed with endometriosis currently receiving multidisciplinary care is not available.

The Scottish Government has supported the development of The Endometriosis Care Pathway for NHS Scotland which aims to support healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms. All NHS Boards should be taking steps to implement the pathway.

To support health care professionals to improve their knowledge and understanding of endometriosis NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has been commissioned to create a bespoke training package and framework focussed on menopause and menstrual health, which includes endometriosis, for healthcare professionals in Primary Care.

The Scottish Government has also worked with NHS Education for Scotland to deliver an endometriosis masterclass for health care professionals across Scotland on diagnosis, treatment and current research into endometriosis.

Additionally, through the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform, we have made a range of information on endometriosis available to women online. This has included the Endometriosis UK Pain and Symptom Diary as well as access to a self-help tool on periods and mental wellbeing.

A menstrual health symptom questionnaire has also been developed by NHS Education for Scotland and is available through the TURAS platform for healthcare professionals to share with women. It will also be available for women to access directly via the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform shortly.

We have no plans to establish a national advice helpline for people with endometriosis.

Through the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform, we have made a range of information on endometriosis available to women online.

This includes signposting to peer support groups and organisations such as Endometriosis UK who operate a free, confidential helpline run by trained volunteers who have a personal experience of endometriosis.

There are also national helplines including 111, Breathing Space and The Samaritans for anyone who is struggling and needs someone to talk to.