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
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.
Paragraph Reference:
97
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
We recognise the importance and value of primary healthcare professionals undertaking training in women’s reproductive health conditions. NHS England does not currently plan to collect data on training hours for primary care practitioners due to: the burdens this would impose on general practice potential overlap with the responsibilities of regulators logistical challenges Primary care practitioners participate in CPD , which ensures they remain up to date in their field. The sufficiency of this training against their scope of practice is assessed through the appraisal process. It is the responsibility of both the practitioner and their appraiser to identify and address any training gaps. Regulators also define CPD requirements, including the number of hours needed to retain professional registration. Collecting data on training hours in women’s reproductive health would not be feasible given the breadth and variety of CPD activities undertaken by primary care practitioners. The overlapping nature of their training areas makes it challenging to isolate and capture specific data on reproductive health training hours. Furthermore, collecting this data would add to bureaucracy in general practice, which risks limiting the time GPs are able to spend with patients. The government is determined to cut red tape and reduce bureaucracy, ensuring GPs spend less time filling in forms and completing administrative tasks, and more time caring for patients. In October 2024, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and NHS England’s Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard launched the Red Tape Challenge . NHS England leaders - Primary Care Medical Director Claire Fuller and Medical Director for Secondary Care and Quality Stella Vig - are currently undertaking a review to look at reducing bureaucracy between primary and secondary care.