Chamber and committees

Our ambition is for a Scotland where health outcomes are equitable across the population so that all women enjoy the best possible health – throughout their lives. That is why endometriosis is one of the key priorities in the Women’s Health Plan and will continue to be so.

Information about the progress to date against each of the priorities in the Women’s Health Plan can be found in the Women’s Health Plan Final Report.

This information is not held centrally.

As of December 2024 there have been:

• Almost 65,000 users on the life sections
• Over 986,000 views on the Periods pages
• Just under 3.2 million views on the Menopause pages

The endometriosis care pathway for NHS Scotland aims to support healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms. The pathway ensures that healthcare professionals are considering women’s need for and access to pain management. All NHS Boards should be taking steps to implement the pathway.

Through the Women’s Health Plan we have developed the Women’s Health Platform on NHS Inform which includes an endometriosis page with consistent, reliable and accessible information, including a lived experience film, empowering women to make informed decisions about their health.

To increase the information available to women, we funded Endometriosis UK to produce a booklet and two webinars on treatments and self-management tips for managing endometriosis pain.

More information is available in the Women’s Health Plan Final Report.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care. Endometriosis will continue to be a priority as we develop the next phase of our Women’s Health Plan.

The Endometriosis Care Pathway for Scotland, adapted from NICE guidance, provides a streamlined integrated primary, secondary and tertiary care pathway aimed at providing a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms.

The Scottish National Menstrual Health Specialist Network provides healthcare professionals with a special interest in menstrual health a forum for peer support and sharing expert clinical advice and best practice related to menstrual health symptoms and conditions.

We will build on the progress set out in the Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report, as we work towards ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

The figures below relate to Endometriosis research funding directly awarded following a competitive independent review process either through Chief Scientist Office’s (CSO) project funding committees, or fellowship funding panels.

This includes the 2022 Scottish Government collaboration with Wellbeing of Women on a £250,000 research call. The research is primarily being run by researchers at The University of Edinburgh and will look at a non-hormonal drug in the management of endometriosis-associated pain.

Most awards are multi-year. The figures below relate to the year in which the funding was committed rather than a breakdown by year of the spend profile for individual projects or fellowships

2007 0

2008 0

2009 0

2010 0

2011 0

2012 £110,198

2013 0

2014 0

2015 £27,639

2016 0

2017 0

2018 £162,651

2019 £30,000

2020 0

2021 0

2022 £394,510

2023 £349,999

2024 £623,028

Full details of CSO’s direct research funding awards are available from the CSO website Funded Research – Chief Scientist Office

The Scottish Government collaborated with Wellbeing of Women on a £250,000 research call in April 2022. The research is primarily being run by researchers at The University of Edinburgh and will look at a non-hormonal drug in the management of endometriosis-associated pain.

The research will be funded over 3 years with the research findings expected to be disseminated in December 2025.

In January 2023 the Chief Scientist Office announced funding of £299,509 for the 30 month ENDOCAN project, led by researchers at The University of Edinburgh. Through a large scale UK-wide trial, the research will investigate whether a cannabinoid can reduce endometriosis-associated pain.

Recruitment for the study is due to start in August 2025 in NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian. More information can be found on the research being undertaken by The University of Edinburgh can be found on their website.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has continued to support the Women’s Health Plan through their dedicated lived experience programme, including a Women’s Health Lived Experience Stakeholder Group, to help us continue our conversation with women, and ensure women are meaningfully involved in decision making and priority setting going forward.

More information can be found in the ALLIANCE Final Report on Women’s Health Plan.

The Scottish Government provides baseline funding to NHS Boards, which Boards use to best meet the healthcare needs of their resident population. Funding is not ring-fenced for the treatment of endometriosis. It is not therefore possible to identify funding allocated specifically for endometriosis.

Through the Women’s Health Plan, a range of funding has been provided for resources and research related to improving endometriosis care.

The Scottish Government collaborated with Wellbeing of Women on a £250,000 research call in 2022. The research is primarily being run by researchers at The University of Edinburgh and will look at a non-hormonal drug in the management of endometriosis-associated pain.

The Chief Scientist Office announced funding of £299,509 for the 30 month ENDOCAN project in January 2023, led by researchers at The University of Edinburgh. Through a large scale UK-wide trial, the research will investigate whether a cannabinoid can reduce endometriosis-associated pain.

The Scottish Government also provided £24,000 of funding in August 2023 to Endometriosis UK to deliver a project creating new resources to support people with endometriosis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32178 on 19 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Within the Women’s Health Plan we committed to improve access for women to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and best treatment for endometriosis across the public, private and third sector.