Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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328. To ask the Minister for Health the status and progress of the national endometriosis framework. [6827/25]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) has advised that the development of the National Framework for Endometriosis is nearing completion with final stakeholder engagement in progress to address issues identified during the consultation phase. The HSE continues to actively engage on these issues with a view to finalising and publishing the Framework as soon as possible.

This Framework sets out a defined clinical care pathway for women with endometriosis with the care pathway spanning primary care to local hospital care to specialist complex care through multidisciplinary teams.

The Model of Care will ensure that women receive timely, and effective treatment through two supra-regional specialist centres in Dublin (Tallaght) and Cork (Cork University Maternity Hospital), supported by five regional endometriosis hubs in the Rotunda, the Coombe Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway.

NWIHP has advised that work to implement the five structured regional hub services has begun with some sites already taking referrals and providing treatment pathways for women affected by this condition.

The two supra-regional services are designed to offer specialised care to severe and complex cases of endometriosis, which may incorporate surgery for deeply invasive endometriosis including outside of the pelvis.

It is envisaged that each of the five hubs will be positioned to provide interdisciplinary care to women experiencing endometriosis up to a moderate stage i.e. the cohort whose symptoms cannot be managed appropriately in primary care or in their local gynaecology service but who do not require the expanse of highly specialist services within the supra-regional services.

Additional funding is being provided this year to expand these services.

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