Waiting lists for gynecological services
Westminster Hall debate
Emma Hardy MP
On Wednesday 6 July, Emma Hardy MP led a Westminster Hall debate on waiting lists for gynecological services.
To inform her debate, she asked to hear your experiences.
"I wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences with me on this topic..."
Several of your stories and points were raised during the debate:
If you contributed to this exercise, please give us feedback:
Watch the full debate or read the transcript to see:
- Speeches by other MPs
- The Government's response.
The Government's response
Former Minister for Health, Edward Argar MP responded to the debate. He addressed the Government’s current position on the provision of gynecological services and issues raised in the debate.
Watch or read his full speech for details on a range of topics including:
- The Women’s Health Strategy, due for publication before the summer recess
Department for Health and Social Care: “Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England” (December 2021)
Women's Health Strategy: Call for Evidence
- The appointment of Dame Lesley Regan as Women’s Health Ambassador for England
- The introduction of surgical hubs and the high-volume, low-complexity programme to increase capacity for surgical procedures
NHS England: “The NHS delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care “
My Planned Care NHS patient platform
- The commitment to NHS funding increases of £33.9 billion by 2023/24 by the NHS Funding Act 2020
House of Commons Library briefing: NHS Funding Bill (2019-20)
- Plans to establish up to 160 community diagnostic centres across the country by 2025
- Funding of £520 million to improve access and expand general practice capacity during the pandemic.
"I wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences with me on this topic.
"Many of you have told some very moving stories about how you’ve been affected by waiting lists to access treatment, and about the attitudes towards the pain which many of you are going through.
"Your responses have brought some very valuable lived experiences to many of the points I wish to raise with the Government, and I will do my best to represent you in my debate on Wednesday.
"I hope you get a chance to read the transcript or watch the debate – you can find a link on this page. Thank you again."
If you contributed to this exercise, please give us feedback:
Your feedback
"When I watched the video and heard my experience being quoted, I felt so proud and emotional at the same time.
"It feels surreal to actually have someone listen to what you have to say on this matter and I could see the emotion in Emma Hardy's face when reading my quote. I feel listened to.
"I have told my husband who is extremely proud of me. I'm also waiting for a phone call from my mum to tell her. I can't wait to tell my friends.
"I feel the work of Parliament has a lot of relevance to my life. A lot of what Emma Hardy said is what I am currently going through.
"I'm hoping that my experience being quoted will give the relevant people an insight into the life of a real person waiting on these waiting lists and not just a number. Our pain is real and debilitating at times.
"I would just like to thank Emma Hardy and her team for taking the time to do this. I can see a lot of work has gone into this debate and I'd like to say I'm so proud of how it was carried out and for pointing out our struggles."
How it works
What is a Westminster Hall Debate?
Westminster Hall debates take place in the Grand Committee Room in the House of Commons.
They give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister.
Debates in Westminster Hall take place on ‘general debate' motions expressed in neutral terms. These motions are worded ‘That this House has considered [a specific matter]'.
How Parliament works: Westminster Hall debates.
How your contributions are shared
In these exercises, members of the public who have signed relevant petitions are invited to share their experiences and ideas.
These are passed on to the MP leading the debate, who may refer to them directly in their speeches.
Find other petitions on the Petitions website, or see more examples of public contributions being used in debates below.
What happens next?
If you shared your email in the survey, we’ll send you an update after the debate with links to watch it, read the transcript, and information about the Government's response.
Research and publications
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Photo credit: UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor
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