More than half of the staff posts funded in clinics for endometriosis, a debilitating gynaecological condition, are currently unfilled, new figures show.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It affects about 10 per cent of women and girls of reproductive age globally.
There is currently no cure for endometriosis and treatment is usually aimed at controlling symptoms, which include severe, life-affecting pain during periods, sexual intercourse, bowel movements and/or urination. It can also cause chronic pelvic pain, abdominal bloating, nausea, fatigue, and sometimes depression, anxiety, and infertility.
The Government has established two supra-regional endometriosis centres at Tallaght University Hospital and Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), supported by regional endometriosis hubs in each of the six maternity networks.
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According to staffing data obtained by Labour’s health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock in response to a parliamentary question, of the 50.2 whole-time equivalents funded for these clinics, 24.6 of these roles are filled.
Tallaght has the highest staffing numbers, with 11.6 funded posts, of which 9.6 are filled. In CUMH, there are 12.6 funded posts, of which three are currently filled.
The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin has five funded posts, none of which are filled. Three of the five posts in both the Rotunda Hospital and University Hospital Galway are filled.
The Coombe has staff in four of the six posts, while University Maternity Hospital Limerick has two of the five posts filled.
Ms Sherlock said it takes women “an average of seven years to receive a diagnosis” of endometriosis, describing the situations as “utterly unacceptable”.
“In the meantime, women are left to suffer with debilitating pain, chronic fatigue, damage to internal organs, and fertility issues. The cost of this delay is enormous,” Ms Sherlock said.
She said the revelation that only half of the hubs are properly staffed raises serious questions about the Government’s commitment. “How can these services be expected to deliver for women if they are not even adequately resourced?” she asked.
A Health Service Executive (HSE) spokeswoman said funded posts include a range of consultants across various specialities, women’s health physiotherapists, dietitians, psychologists, specialist nursing staff and healthcare assistants.
“Recruitment of the posts funded across services is ongoing to further develop endometriosis specialist services,” the spokeswoman said.
“It is not possible for the HSE to provide a definitive date as to when all posts will be filled given the nature of recruitment processes including availability of required skilled personnel in the employment market, [the] suite of employment checks that must be undertaken pre appointment, including Garda clearance, professional and academic qualification verification and reference checks, and leave notification of successful candidates to existing employers.”
In March 2023, the department announced the development of the National Endometriosis Framework.
The HSE said publication of the framework is pending further engagement with the Irish Medical Organisation on the role played by GPs in implementing the model of care.
