Northern Ireland women face up to 18-month waits for urgent gynaecology care
Women in Northern Ireland are waiting over a year, and in some regions up to 18 months, for appointments labeled as urgent gynaecology.
At the end of March, the Department of Health reported that 47,780 women were awaiting gynaecology outpatient appointments in Northern Ireland, many classified as urgent. Waiting times differ sharply: the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust averages 77 weeks for urgent appointments, while the Northern Trust averages 18 weeks. Routine appointments are even longer, with the Western Trust at 130 weeks.
Despite a £4.9 million investment in 2025/26 and a reduction in three-year waits, no trust met the target that no patient wait more than 52 weeks. A women’s rights charity says the delays are destroying mental health, and the department says a Women’s Health Action Plan will be published later this year.
Why it matters
Prolonged urgent gynaecology waits jeopardize women's health and mental wellbeing across Northern Ireland.
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