Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Rejected
Paragraph: 97
Cease using 'benign' and reprioritise chronic reproductive conditions like endometriosis for surgical treatment
Conclusion
NHS England should cease to use the term benign in relation to reproductive ill health. The NHS should work with stakeholders to develop a way to describe these conditions that more accurately reflects the serious impact they can have on people’s lives. This should include a wider discussion about what treatments take precedence for surgery and the steps necessary to ensure that chronic conditions primarily affecting women, such as endometriosis, are appropriately prioritised. This re-prioritisation is required to address the fact that gynaecology waiting lists have grown at a faster pace than any other specialty since the pandemic.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government recognizes the importance of training in women's reproductive health but states NHS England will not collect data on primary care practitioners' training hours due to burdens and logistical challenges. The recommendation about terminology and prioritisation for chronic conditions remains unaddressed.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
97
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government · verbatim extract
Rejected
The government recognises the harm that can come from the use of the word ‘benign’ to describe some gynaecological conditions. In clinical terminology, the term ‘benign’ is commonly used across medical specialties to distinguish between malignant and non-malignant conditions, such as cancer versus non-cancerous tumours. However, in gynaecology, ‘benign gynaecology’ has also come to describe non-cancerous conditions, which may inadvertently downplay the impact of these conditions and create a perceived hierarchy of importance between cancer and non-cancer conditions. We acknowledge the legitimate concern that this terminology may lead to conditions such as endometriosis and heavy menstrual bleeding being seen as less serious, despite the severe and sometimes debilitating impact that they can have on patients’ health, careers and families. DHSC uses the term ‘gynaecological conditions’. For example, the government’s Women’s Health Strategy for England (linked in ‘Introduction’ above) has a priority chapter on ‘Menstrual health and gynaecological conditions’. This does not refer to ‘benign gynaecology’. We support RCOG in advocating for a shift away from using the term ‘benign gynaecology’ in NHS settings. RCOG itself does not use the term ‘benign’ when referring to non-cancerous gynaecology conditions. NHS England also recognises the need for language to accurately reflect the lived experiences of individuals with reproductive health conditions, not to minimise the impact that these conditions have on their lives. NHS England is working with individuals with lived experience to explore the impact of terminology within clinical settings. This issue will form part of discussions at the upcoming roundtable on women’s experiences of pain, ensuring that women’s voices are central to this work. NHS England will also review internal information currently using the term ‘benign gynaecology’. Collaboration with stakeholders - including the Royal colleges, NICE and other professional bodies - will help identify and move towards preferred terminology across the healthcare system. Women’s voices must be at the heart of this work.
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