Gynaecology ‘see and treat’ clinics reducing waiting lists

Gynaecology ‘see and treat’ clinics are helping to cut waiting lists for women awaiting specialised gynaecology care. These HSE ambulatory gynaecology clinics carry out day procedures instead of requiring women to be as treated as hospital in-patients.

They provided:

• 16,000 appointments in 2023
• 9,855 women with appointments in the first half of 2024 - which is ahead of the expected 18,000 new patients to be seen in all of 2024.

From 2020 to 2023, there was a 78% decrease in the outpatient gynaecology waiting list for women waiting longer than 12 months. This is despite a 73% increase in gynaecology referrals for the same period. Another new clinic will open in Portiuncula University Hospital in the coming weeks, bringing to 17 the number of clinics around the country.

Dr Venita Broderick, Clinical Lead for Gynaecology, HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme, said:

“Ambulatory gynaecology clinics around the country carry out assessments, investigations and treatments to women, without the need to be hospitalised. Up to 70% of general gynaecology referrals can be managed in the clinics, with care delivered by a multidisciplinary clinical team. We have 16 clinics operating around the country providing high-quality services and improving access to care for women. The one-stop approach to care means women can be assessed and treated for a range of conditions within the clinic. We work with each woman attending to determine the care pathway that best suits her individual needs.”

The continued roll-out of dedicated women’s health hubs in the community is due to focused investment in women’s health. The Ambulatory Gynaecology clinics receive €9m recurring funding** to support the delivery of care, improving access and reducing waiting lists for women’s health. This is managed by the HSE’s National Women and Infants Health Programme.

Dr Broderick continued:

“The clinics can reduce the number of appointments women need. Previously, women may have 3-5 appointments but the one-stop clinics mean women might only need 1 or 2 appointments. Following a GP referral, we can see and treat women and carry out day procedures such as removal of small polyps or a hysteroscopy in the outpatient setting, which would previously have been done in theatre.”

The Ambulatory Gynaecology clinics are one type of a number of different HSE women’s health hubs. Additional specialist hubs focus on different aspects of women’s health, including specialist menopause clinics, endometriosis hubs, postnatal hubs and regional fertility hubs.