'i Needed A Coil To Ease The Bleeding But I Just Sat On A Waiting List'

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Elaine Gracey was told much than 3 years agone by her expert that she should person a coil fitted to thief pinch her dense and achy periods.

The 50-year-old is still waiting. She said she was expected to conscionable put up pinch nan bleeding.

"One nighttime I was successful truthful overmuch symptom I conscionable sat successful nan bath which turned virtually into a humor bath - I was passing truthful overmuch humor and clots which were nan size of babe potatoes," she said.

Northern Ireland has nan highest gynaecology waiting lists successful nan UK. The Department of Health said "significant work", though successful its early stages, is underway to trim waiting times and create pathways.

The coil was meant to beryllium nan first measurement successful Elaine's menopause treatment, and she was hopeless for help.

"At nighttime clip I slept pinch a towel connected nan sheets, I was successful a batch of symptom and usually exhausted going to activity arsenic I'd small aliases nary sleep," she said.

Elaine, who has since been put connected a different shape of HRT, said her symptoms were not seen arsenic important.

The carer, from Craigavon, said: "No female should person to hold 3 aliases 4 years conscionable to beryllium called - that is not dealing pinch nan issue, but we are conscionable women."

The Southern Trust said it recognised nan "significant distress" that agelong waits for gynaecology services tin person and apologised to those affected.

A spokesperson added that nan spot was moving to trim waiting times, pinch further funding, clinics and capacity put successful place.

Waiting lists by wellness trust

BBC News NI asked each of nan wellness trusts for figures connected menopause and gynaecology waiting lists betwixt 1 July and 31 December 2025.

Across nan 5 trusts, 6,597 women person been reddish flagged to spot a specialist.

The longest waits are 4 and a half years successful nan Southern and Western trusts.

While immoderate trusts tally circumstantial menopause clinics, others do not owed to deficiency of funding.

Gail Ritchie, 45, was connected a waiting database for much than 7 years.

The Londonderry female had been diagnosed pinch pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) - a information that tin origin pelvic and ovarian veins to excavation pinch blood, enlarge and property against surrounding organs.

"I was successful a very acheronian place, bleeding a lot, debased mood, it was debilitating mentally and physically," Gail said.

"The first mates of years you expect to wait, past I thought I will beryllium seen by 3 years, past that became 4 past 5 years and you commencement to suffer hope."

After nan eight-year milestone was reached, she went backstage and wrong 4 weeks she had an appointment.

"The quality was nighttime and day, for nan first clip I felt listened to and heard. I described nan symptoms, and he confirmed I wasn't imagining it and location was a solution," Gail said.

Using her wellness insurance, she paid astir £6,000 for a hysterectomy and started HRT.

A spokesperson for nan Western Trust apologised to patients for nan delays successful their attraction and said it was portion of nan Gynaecology Collaborative to instrumentality initiatives which will trim nan number of long-waiting outpatients.

Dr Charlie Beattie, an obstetrician and gynaecologist successful nan Northern Health Trust, told BBC News NI that nan waiting times were "extremely concerning".

"As clinicians, we spot nan antagonistic effect this has connected women's beingness and psychological well-being, and nan effect connected their families and wider society," he said.

"I do personally consciousness that galore women conscionable struggle connected pinch symptoms and they are not brought to nan attraction of wellness attraction professionals whether it beryllium because of acceptance, an inability to prioritise their ain well-being, aliases challenges pinch entree to services."

He said nan resources required to supply effective services did not meet expanding demand.

On nan peculiar rumor of menopause, Dr Beattie said a hold successful receiving HRT could summation nan semipermanent consequence of osteoporosis, cardiovascular illness and dementia.

Across 4 of nan 5 trusts, much than 1,000 women are waiting to spot a menopause master - nan Western Health Trust does not supply a dedicated service.

The longest hold is 160 weeks successful nan Southern Trust; 146 weeks successful nan Northern Trust; 141 successful South Eastern Trust. The Western Health Trust said nan statistic were not available.

The Belfast Trust which erstwhile had nan longest waits, has 34 women waiting, pinch nan longest hold now astatine 4 months. It has funded 2 advisor posts which could explicate nan affirmative drop.

In a statement, nan Department of Health said it is moving to trim waiting lists and "develop pathways for gynaecology-specific conditions" wrong each wellness trust, including menopause attraction and nan constitution of a location gynaecology services forum to oversee services.

"Although activity is astatine an early shape and will require further funding, this will see mapping objective pathways from position astatine GP services into secondary and tertiary care, which will use some patients and clinicians," nan connection added.

"This activity includes a circumstantial task and decorativeness group to see menopause care."