14 March 2025
SDLP Mournes councillor Laura Devlin has reiterated her call for a funded Women’s Health Strategy in Northern Ireland, saying endometriosis awareness month should help break taboos around menstrual health.
She has spoken out about the impact the debilitating condition has had on her and so many other women.
Councillor Devlin said:
“Northern Ireland is the only place across these islands not to have a dedicated Women’s Health Strategy and as March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, this is an opportune time to break taboos around menstrual health and confront this issue head on. Women experiencing painful reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, and adenomyosis are frequently finding their symptoms minimalised and their pain dismissed when seeking help. These are the stark findings of a report by the Women and Equalities Committee at Westminster in December.
"This same committee highlighted the severe pain experienced by some women undergoing routine healthcare procedures such as hysteroscopy, IUD fitting and cervical screening. It called on the NHS to do more to monitor and enforce protocols governing such procedures. The report concluded that the NHS should collect data on whether guidelines for potentially painful gynaecological procedures are being adhered to, including patients’ experiences.
“I have spoken to many women in recent months who are not receiving the proper support they need from the health service. Many have been referred on to a consultant Gynaecologist but unless cancer red flagged, very few, if any, are receiving timely treatment in the NHS. Despite the best efforts of dedicated healthcare staff, the waiting lists simply continue to grow.
"The picture painted by the experiences of local women is one of a service which is totally broken and failing to address their needs, leaving many in debilitating pain and unable to cope. Women are finding their careers, social life, confidence and their relationships affected due to the very debilitating symptoms associated with these conditions – such as chronic pelvic pain, painful periods, heavy bleeding, painful bowel movements, difficulty conceiving and severe fatigue – this is just a snapshot of what many endure. Yet, tragically menstrual health remains a taboo in our society which we have yet to break.
"Women face specific barriers when it comes to their health and these concerns must be reflected in a strategy. We need people to be comfortable talking about these issues. We should not be ashamed as it is real life for so many. Last October my party colleague Sinead McLaughlin MLA tabled an Assembly Question on this issue but the Health Minister’s reply was disappointing to say the least. In summary there is no plan to take forward a Women’s Health Strategy due to budgetary constraints. This simply isn’t good enough and consigns many more women to dealing with these painful problems while facing a lengthy wait for care. We need the Health Minister and his Executive colleagues to acknowledge the specific healthcare issues women face, see this as a priority and fund a strategy accordingly."