Ms B?bhinn Nic Liam:

I do not think any country has the complete solution to dealing with endometriosis, but there are important initiatives in various countries. In France, for instance, around 2010, a pilot study was conducted in which GPs were given specialist training in the symptoms of endometriosis, and that led to an uptake in the referrals to the endometriosis centre by a significant percentage, of 30% to 40%. In New Zealand and Australia, there are ongoing educational interventions through civil society organisations. Endometriosis New Zealand delivers educational sessions in schools. The symptoms of endometriosis often present during the menarche and in the neighbouring GP clinics. Australia copied this education programme with slight alterations, where it is called the ME, or menstrual health and endometriosis, programme. It has been around for about 20 years and is being delivered in South Australia. The state and federal governments provided funding to the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia to run the period pain and endometriosis programme in high schools.

There are a lot of different initiatives in different countries. What we often face here is people not getting past, say, GP level, which would not be a problem in other health systems such as that in Germany, where people go straight to a consultant, without having to go through GPs as gatekeepers.