Clinical care for sufferers of endometriosis is not meeting "base level", according to new research seen by BBC Scotland.
The debilitating condition affects 100,000 women in Scotland and is more common than diabetes, yet it takes eight and a half years to be diagnosed.
Almost half of those with endometriosis are in pain most days.
The study, commissioned as part of the Scottish government's Women's Health Plan, found that services were lacking.
The charity Endometriosis UK said the condition costs the UK economy £8.2bn each year in treatment, healthcare costs and loss of work.
It carried out the study and has recommended four main areas for improvement:
- Implementing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and quality standards on endometriosis care across Scotland - the research found that this base level of care "is not currently being met".
- Building relationships between healthcare services through managed clinical networks to allow for smoother referrals.
- Increasing education in primary and secondary care levels - including GPs and non-specialist gynaecologists.
- Investment in a public health campaign and improved menstrual education in schools.
Source: BBC News, 23 January 2022
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