Waiting in pain: 'I've lost major organs to endometriosis'

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Before the pandemic, the waiting list for gynaecology across the UK stood at 360,000. It's now more than 750,000, with women waiting for consultations, tests, and surgery for conditions including endometriosis. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says women’s health is constantly deprioritised, and points to “persistent gender bias”. Governments and health authorities across the UK acknowledge that “women are waiting too long” but say they're working to make sure they can get support when needed. For this episode of our 5 Minutes On podcast, the BBC's health correspondent, Catherine Burns, has been to meet Anna Cooper, who was diagnosed with endometriosis when she was 18. She's had a lot of treatment on the NHS, but has had to take out loans and borrow money from family to pay for private treatment when waiting lists were too long. (Image: BBC)