Recommendation 19

Dismissal of women’s period problems and the normalisation of period-related pain in primary care is now recognised as a concern by the healthcare sector. However, there is little evidence of systemic improvement. Young women and girls are still reporting their concerns being ignored, being told they are too young get a menstrual health condition such as endometriosis and being prescribed hormonal medication to manage pain without discussion or investigation of underlying causes. We recognise the efforts of the Royal College of General Practitioners and others to improve training for GPs on menstrual health and provide better, more empathetic care for girls and women, but they are severely hampered 72 by pressures in the system. Many GPs simply do not have the time to take up “specialist” training in women’s health or the time in appointments to make a satisfactory judgement on the symptoms presented. However, the concerns raised above are not complicated to communicate across primary care. (Conclusion, Paragraph 98)