Wales Gynaecology Waiting Lists Top 46,000 as Patient Endures 21-Month Delay for Surgery
Amy-Jane Davies, 30, from south Wales, is currently managing six separate NHS waiting lists, a situation she describes as consuming her life. Diagnosed with endometriosis in 2018, Ms Davies has endured a 21-month wait for gynaecological surgery, which she anticipates will lead to further referrals and additional waiting periods.
Endometriosis, a condition where womb-like cells grow elsewhere, has compelled Ms Davies to reduce her working hours and reconsider motherhood. In 2021, she privately funded an operation for GBP#4,000, which revealed further complications requiring specialist bowel surgery – a procedure for which she now requires a preliminary laparoscopy. This initial procedure has seen her waiting for 21 months, alongside referrals for bowel, bladder, and migraine specialists, as well as an ultrasound and MRI.
Gynaecology Delays Across Wales
Ms Davies' experience is not isolated. Wales currently has 46,289 people on gynaecology waiting lists, part of a wider total of 713,048 awaiting various treatments. Data from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists indicates that Wales has one of the highest per capita gynaecology waiting lists in the UK, second only to Northern Ireland. These figures, while slightly down from a peak of 56,069 in August 2025, remain significantly above pre-Covid levels.
The Royal College’s president, Alison Wright, attributes the crisis to workforce burnout and insufficient access to theatre time, noting persistent struggles for gynaecological theatre availability across the UK. Ms Wright stated that delayed treatment often forces patients into A&E, exacerbating their conditions and affecting their ability to work and care for dependents. She welcomed the 2024 NHS Wales women's health plan but emphasised the need for “proper investment” and “tangible plans” for genuine impact.
Political parties, including the Green Party, Welsh Liberal Democrats, Reform Wales, Plaid Cymru, and the Welsh Conservatives, have all criticised the
