Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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705. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update in respect of his Department's plans to give additional training to general practitioners to enable them to diagnose women with endometriosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23010/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is the body responsible for education and training in general practice. In relation to endometriosis care, the ICGP has been delivering education around endometriosis to its members including for example a webinar on endometriosis in June 2021 which was attended by 1,567 GPs and a course in community gynaecology, which included the topic of endometriosis in 2022. Over 200 GPs attended this education module. Endometriosis is included in the curriculum for all GP trainees in the ICGP.

In addition, the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) is progressing the development of a National Endometriosis Framework. This Framework will identify how care for women in this area needs to be delivered, with this care spanning primary care to local hospital care to specialist complex care. It should be noted that this Framework was developed in conjunction with endometriosis specialists and gynaecologists.

To support the implementation of the Framework, the NWIHP has established an Endometriosis Professional Network to help drive a standardised approach to endometriosis service delivery and care.

The NWIHP has also advised that an Endometriosis Quick Reference Guide (QRG) is currently in development by the ICGP. Once developed this QRG will be disseminated amongst GPs to promote awareness of endometriosis and the increase the ability of GPs to recognise endometriosis.

A HSE National Clinical Guideline for Management of Endometriosis is also in development and is due for completion in the coming months. The availability of this evidence-based guidance will support the management of endometriosis in both the primary and acute sector.