A Welsh health crisis is unfolding as endometriosis centres face resource shortages, risking closures and downgrading of services across Wales.

Gynaecologists warn that without increased funding and dedicated regional or national commissioning, BSGE accreditation requirements will not be met, potentially driving patients to seek care in England and reducing local access.

Patients like 32-year-old Kelly O'Shea describe debilitating chronic pain and disrupted lives, with some surgeries interrupted or delayed by unavailable specialists such as bowel or radiology colleagues.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and other bodies urge sustainable resourcing, adequate workforce numbers, training, and facilities to support endometriosis care nationwide.

There is ongoing discussion about commissioning endometriosis care regionally or nationally through NHS Wales’ joint commissioning committee, as current arrangements are deemed unsustainable.

Efforts are being made to reaccredit Cardiff and Vale and Swansea Bay centres, and to ensure endometriosis care remains core-funded and sustainable within the Welsh health service.

Geographic differences in care persist, with north and south Wales directing complex cases to different UK centres, and concerns about potential broader regional disparities if accreditation is not maintained.

Cardiff and Vale health board added their centre to a risk register due to BSGE accreditation risks; pressure is mounting for a pan-Wales service or a revised funding model to reflect true costs of complex endometriosis care.

Patients report surgeries being cancelled or halted due to unavailable theatre time, inadequate multidisciplinary teams, and missing specialist staff, forcing some to pay privately for treatment.