💪 Endometriosis: Women in the Workplace

• Raising Awareness on Endometriosis: Gill Furniss, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, highlighted the challenges faced by women with endometriosis in the workplace. She emphasized the slow progress in addressing this condition since its identification in 1860.

• Impact on Career and Life: The debate focused specifically on how endometriosis affects women’s work lives due to chronic pain and mental health issues, which can lead to job loss or career stagnation.

• Need for Workplace Support: Suggestions were made for employers to offer flexible working conditions, access to period products, and time off for medical appointments. There were calls for more understanding and tolerance from employers regarding the condition.

• Government’s Role: Jim Shannon and others emphasized the government’s role in educating businesses about their obligations towards employees with endometriosis. The Employment Rights Bill was mentioned as a significant step towards improving workers’ rights, with potential implications for women with endometriosis.

• Long Diagnosis Times: It was noted that the average time to diagnose endometriosis is eight years in the UK, partly due to stigma and lack of awareness. This affects women’s ability to receive timely treatment and support.

• Healthcare and NHS: The debate touched on the strain on the NHS, particularly in gynaecological care, and the need for better funding and implementation of the women’s health strategy. The government is committed to reducing waiting times for gynaecology.

• Research and Education: There were calls for more government support for research into endometriosis and for improved education about the condition in schools and among healthcare professionals. New content on the NHS website and updated guidelines aim to improve diagnosis and treatment knowledge.

• Legislative and Policy Measures: The Employment Rights Bill is seen as an opportunity to further support women with reproductive health conditions. The government is encouraging employers to publish action plans and extend statutory sick pay to more employees.

• Cross-Party Support: There was acknowledgment of cross-party collaboration on this issue, and tributes were paid to late David Amess for his work on endometriosis awareness.

• Minister’s Response: Minister Karin Smyth reiterated the government’s commitment to improving support for women with endometriosis, both in healthcare and in the workplace, and outlined current and planned initiatives to address these challenges.

The session on ‘Endometriosis: Women in the Workplace’ shows very little disagreement among the participants. Most of the speakers, including Gill Furniss (Lab), Jim Shannon (DUP), Sir Alec Shelbrooke (Con), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Lab), Alice Macdonald (Lab/Co-op), Catherine Atkinson (Lab), and Kirsteen Sullivan (Lab/Co-op), align in their views on the importance of addressing the challenges faced by women with endometriosis in the workplace. There is a unanimous call for increased awareness, support, and legislative action to improve conditions for these women. The Minister for Secondary Care, Karin Smyth, also reaffirms the government’s commitment to tackling the issue through various measures, including the Employment Rights Bill and improving healthcare support. The overall tone is collaborative, with different members contributing to and reinforcing the central message of the need for systemic change. There are no notable instances of direct opposition or conflict within the session, leading to a rating of 1, indicating minimal disagreement.