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Amy-Jane Davies, a 30-year-old woman from South Wales, faces the daunting reality of being on six different NHS waiting lists. She has been waiting for 21 months for gynaecological surgery, a delay that could result in her being placed at the end of another queue for more specialised treatment. Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2018, a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body, Amy-Jane’s symptoms include severe abdominal pain, bloating, migraines, fatigue, and issues with her bladder and bowel. These health challenges have forced her to reduce her working hours and made her reconsider her plans to have children.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, waiting times for gynaecological procedures increased dramatically, with some lists extending to eight to ten years. Amy-Jane explained, “During Covid, the gynaecology waiting lists grew to eight to 10 years and at that point I knew there was just no way I could wait that long to get something done.” In 2021, she opted for private surgery, costing £4,000, to remove endometriosis tissue from her uterus, womb, and bladder. However, during the operation, further endometriosis was discovered on her bowel, requiring a specialised procedure involving both a colorectal surgeon and a gynaecologist. Although her health board acknowledged the need for this surgery at one of two accredited centres in Wales, a laparoscopy must be completed first, for which Amy-Jane has now been waiting 21 months.
The constant need to follow up on appointments and procedures is taking a toll on Amy-Jane’s mental health. She described the ongoing process as overwhelming, saying, “You’re constantly chasing them. It’s taking over a bit, if I’m honest, and it’s really no good for my mental health.” Alongside the laparoscopy, she awaits consultations for her bowel, bladder, and migraine issues, as well as further diagnostic scans. Considering the expense of private surgery for her next operation — estimated at no less than £15,000 — Amy-Jane feels unable to afford this option despite having previously sought private care. She emphasized the financial strain and emotional difficulty, stating, “It just feels really cruel that I could be putting myself into debt, when in a year or two all my symptoms could just come straight back.”
Across Wales, gynaecology remains one of the longest-waiting specialties in the NHS, rivalled only by trauma and orthopaedics. Wales has one of the highest rates of patients waiting for gynaecological treatment in the UK, second only to Northern Ireland. Numbers peaked in August 2025, with over 56,000 people waiting, and while the figure dropped to about 46,000 by January, it remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, highlighted workforce burnout and limited theatre availability as major factors in the delays. She called for better prioritisation of women’s health, stating, “We would really like to see women’s health prioritised. That means not only to make pathways clearer, but also to make sure that we have equitable theatre space and gynaecological capacity.” The Welsh government noted previous reductions in waiting lists but did not comment specifically ahead of the Senedd election scheduled for 7 May. Various political parties have acknowledged the urgent need to address these challenges, proposing reforms focused on workforce expansion, primary care enhancement, and investment in healthcare infrastructure
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