Question:
The reporter is writing a feature about waiting times for gynaecology.
Two case studies are being featured. One patient has suspected endometriosis and had an MRI done last November and is awaiting surgery. The second lady was diagnosed with endometriosis and is awaiting surgery to remove her ovaries. She was told she would be waiting 6 to 8 months and yet two years on, she is still waiting.
Comment is sought from NHS Fife on the following:
- Why the waiting lists for initial appointments and surgery in gynaecology is so long?
- How many Fife women are currently waiting for gynaecology treatment?
- How many are waiting longer than the 12-week target and what NHS Fife is doing to tackle these waiting lists in gynaecology?
- Can NHS Fife confirm the loss of a gynaecologist, resulting in lots of appointments being cancelled adding to longer waiting times? Has this situation now been resolved?
Response:
Planned surgery - the most recently published national statistics show that the current waiting times for planned gynaecology procedures in Fife are shorter than anywhere else in Scotland – see table below.
Ongoing Gynaecology Waiting Times (as of 31 March 2025)
|
NHS Board |
Patients Waiting |
Median Wait (weeks) |
90% Seen Within (weeks) |
|
NHS Ayrshire & Arran |
497 |
26 |
77 |
|
NHS Borders |
242 |
25 |
83 |
|
NHS Dumfries & Galloway |
127 |
15 |
37 |
|
NHS Fife |
339 |
12 |
32 |
|
NHS Forth Valley |
561 |
21 |
57 |
|
NHS Grampian |
996 |
45 |
191 |
|
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde |
5,650 |
45 |
118 |
|
NHS Highland |
485 |
20 |
46 |
|
NHS Lanarkshire |
1,374 |
23 |
88 |
|
NHS Lothian |
1,572 |
35 |
80 |
|
NHS Tayside |
927 |
41 |
139 |
(Source: waitingtimes.publichealthscotland.scot)
While NHS Fife is unable to comment on the care of individuals due to patient confidentiality, the Health Board can confirm that at present the longest wait for gynaecological surgery in Fife is 52 weeks.
Outpatient appointments - between 01 January and 31 March 2025, 2,106 patients in Fife were seen for a first gynaecology outpatient appointment following referral. During the same period, the median waiting time for those attending a first appointment was 8 weeks (source: waitingtimes.publichealthscotland.scot).
Staffing - there is long-term consultant absence within the gynaecology service currently. The endometriosis pathway has been reviewed to help minimise waiting times. This has led to some rescheduling of appointments where appropriate and a cohort of patients have been referred to the Regional Endometriosis Treatment Centre for care.
A spokesperson for NHS Fife said: “NHS Fife is committed to minimising waiting times for patients across all specialities.
“There has been significant investment in gynaecology services in Fife in recent times, aimed at both reducing waiting times and improving the experience of patients accessing these services.
“In May this year we officially opened our Gynaecology Treatment Centre at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline. The new centre brings together a range of specialist gynaecology services together under one roof, helping support timely diagnosis and treatment and improving the overall experience for women in Fife.
“In gynaecology, like all specialities, patients awaiting assessment or treatment are triaged to ensure that those with the greatest clinical need are prioritised to be seen most quickly.”
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