The latest NHS England elective data shows an increase in the gynaecology waiting list for April, despite the enormous effort of gynaecology teams.
Gynaecology referrals remain high with over 122,000 new referrals this month and elective gynaecology performance remains around 4.7 percentage points below the average. Given over 560,000 women are still waiting, the system urgently needs a permanent solution to resolve a challenge that has been building for decades.
The shift to community-based, neighbourhood care offers this solution, representing one of the most significant opportunities to transform how women access healthcare - reducing hospital pressure and getting women the right care sooner. Both the 10-Year Health Plan and the renewed Women's Health Strategy rightly identified this opportunity, and both depend on this shift succeeding.
This success will only be achieved if ICBs have the necessary funding to deliver the system transformation to shape neighbourhood care models, and latest data show this is far from certain. As the HSJ reported, funding allocated by ICBs for neighbourhood or transformation activity is around 0.25% (£400-420 million) of the combined £167 billion total funding.
For women's health specifically, already historically underfunded, the impact could be felt disproportionately. Analysis shows some of the ICBs with no ring-fenced funding, growth rule, or identified sum in place for 2026-27 also appear to have some of the longest gynaecology waiting lists per 100,000 women - including Greater Manchester.
Dr Alison Wright, President of the RCOG, said:
"The latest data show that the pressure on gynaecology services continues to grow, with over half a million women still waiting for elective care. This is despite the huge efforts of gynaecology teams, with over two thirds of obstetricians and gynaecologists routinely working beyond contracted hours. At the same time, ICBs are under real financial pressure and we recognise the scale of what is being asked of them.
"The 10-Year Health Plan and the renewed Women's Health Strategy offer a genuine opportunity for positive change, but the government cannot keep asking doctors and ICBs to absorb ever-greater demand without the resources to match. Without sustainable ICB funding for neighbourhood health and deliberate prioritisation of women's services, the shift to community care risks leaving women behind - and widening the disparities in access to care."
At the start of 2026, the College warned that this year must be a turning point for the women who are waiting for gynaecology care and halfway through the year there is little sign this will be the case.
The RCOG is calling on the Government to ensure there is adequate and sustainable funding at ICB level to enable the shift from hospital to community which is critical to the delivery of both the Women's Health Strategy and the 10-Year Health Plan. This includes long-term investment in gynaecology workforce, training and facilities - and explicit plans to embed women's health into neighbourhood health.
- The RCOG’s data dashboard on elective recovery for gynaecology is here
- Read more about our work to campaign to tackle long gynaecology waiting lists here: https://www.rcog.org.uk/about-us/campaigning-and-opinions/addressing-waiting-times-gynaecology/