{"id":732239,"date":"2026-08-09T06:32:53","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T06:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/732239\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T06:32:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T06:32:53","slug":"womens-health-waiting-times-rise-at-salisbury-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/732239\/","title":{"rendered":"Women’s health waiting times rise at Salisbury hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Ella Naylor-Hall recently underwent laparoscopic surgery after what she describes as a near-decade struggle to secure care for debilitating symptoms.\n<\/p>\n

\n Despite delays, she praised the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS<\/a>) for its support, but said her overall experience left her feeling repeatedly dismissed.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe condition I was in was horrendous,\u201d she said.\n<\/p>\n

\n Ms Naylor-Hall said she was first referred to gynaecology with severe pain but faced years of setbacks. She was told in 2020 she had been placed on a surgical waiting list, only to later discover she had not been formally added until the following year.\n<\/p>\n

\n After years of waiting, she attended a pre-operative appointment in 2025 only to be told she would have to restart the process because so much time had passed.\n<\/p>\n

\n “Nothing was recorded correctly,” she said.\n<\/p>\n

\n The delays left her fearing for her long-term health and fertility, particularly given a family history of gynaecological conditions.\n<\/p>\n

\n “I spent so many years worrying that I could end up like that,” she said.\n<\/p>\n

\n Ms Naylor-Hall believes other young women are facing similar experiences.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThere are girls that are 15 now in the same position, not getting the help they need. I won\u2019t be the only one.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Her experience comes as Freedom of Information data obtained from Salisbury District Hospital<\/a> highlights lengthy waits for a range of women\u2019s health conditions.\n<\/p>\n

\n Despite significant numbers of admissions for conditions including endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, fibroids and chronic pelvic pain, waiting times remain high, and in some cases are increasing.\n<\/p>\n

\n For endometriosis, the median wait for inpatient treatment more than doubled from 100 days in 2023-24 to 204 days in 2025-26.\n<\/p>\n

\n For pelvic and perineal pain, waits rose from 154 days to 224 days over the same period.\n<\/p>\n

\n Figures for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were particularly stark, with median waits for a first outpatient appointment ranging from 426 to 751 days across the three years. In some cases, average waits exceeded four-and-a-half years.\n<\/p>\n

\n Overall performance figures show a mixed picture.\n<\/p>\n

Salisbury waiting times explained<\/p>\n

\n Salisbury District Hospital waiting times (Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n

\n In May 2026, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust<\/a> completed 1,371 admitted pathways, with 988 patients treated within 18 weeks. However, 350 patients waited longer than 18 weeks and 33 waited more than a year.\n<\/p>\n

Women’s health waits at Salisbury<\/p>\n

\n Salisbury District Hospital waiting times for women’s health (Image: Newsquest)\n<\/p>\n

\n Campaigners say the data raises questions about whether women\u2019s health conditions are receiving sufficient priority.\n<\/p>\n

\n Nationally, endometriosis affects around one in 10 women, with diagnosis often taking several years.\n<\/p>\n

\n For Ms Naylor-Hall, the focus is on ensuring others do not face the same experience.\n<\/p>\n

\n A spokesperson for Salisbury District Hospital said: “We recognise that long waits for treatment can be difficult and distressing for patients, and we are very sorry when planned care has to be postponed.\n<\/p>\n

\n “Our teams are always working hard to reduce delays, prioritise patients according to clinical need, and ensure people receive safe, high-quality care as quickly as possible.\n<\/p>\n

\n “Through targeted improvement work, we have made significant progress in reducing waits for gynaecology appointments.\n<\/p>\n

\n “Between February and July this year, the average wait for a first outpatient appointment reduced from 146 days to 98 days \u2014 a reduction of around one third. Over the same period, referral-to-treatment performance improved by 12 per cent, with 68 per cent of gynaecology patients now waiting under 18 weeks.\n<\/p>\n

\n “The backlog is also at its lowest level since January and has reduced by a third over that time.\n<\/p>\n

\n “While we know there is still more to do, this progress reflects the sustained efforts of our clinical and operational teams to improve access to compassionate, safe and appropriate care for our patients.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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