“The launch of the centre is a significant step toward improving access to specialised healthcare and addressing the long-standing gaps in endometriosis care. This is an exciting time for women’s health, and I am proud that CUMH is the leading the way,” according to Dr Mairead O’ Riordan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Clinical Director, Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), speaking as the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill opened a new HSE Supra-Regional Endometriosis Centre to improve access to care for women with advanced endometriosis.

The state-of-the-art centre is already receiving patients from across Ireland, and is located at the Lee Clinic and operated by CUMH.

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of it, affecting approximately one in ten women globally. The Endometriosis Centre at CUMH will provide specialist care to women across the region. A multidisciplinary team will collaborate to ensure each patient receives the comprehensive, tailored support they need.

Developed by the HSE and the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP), the centre aligns with the National Endometriosis Framework. The framework outlines, for the first time, a defined clinical care pathway for women with endometriosis in Ireland. Together with another supra-regional clinic in Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), these services at TUH and CUMH will be supported by a network of regional endometriosis hub services. 

Addressing the gathering at the recent event marking the opening, Dr O’ Riordan said they were “thrilled to open the doors of this Supra-Regional Endometriosis Centre here in Cork, a significant milestone in improving the care and outcomes for women suffering from this challenging condition. Endometriosis can severely impact the quality of life, yet for many, the path to a correct diagnosis and effective treatment is a long and difficult journey. This centre should change that, offering not just expert care, but hope for better management of the condition. We are very grateful to the NWIHP and HSE for their continued support.”

Professor John R Higgins, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, Clinical Director, Ireland South Women and Infants Directorate, explained that “endometriosis has long been a Cinderella condition – often underdiagnosed and undertreated.  It is wonderful to see the government investing in a truly national endometriosis service, of which we can all be proud.

“In the Ireland South Women and Infant Directorate we are determined to ensure that world class services are available for every woman in the wider Munster region. At CUMH we are delighted to welcome women from across Ireland to this new supra-regional Endometriosis centre.”

Minister Carroll MacNeill noted that “this specialist endometriosis centre represents an important step forward in ensuring that women with advanced endometriosis receive the expert multi-disciplinary treatment, and comprehensive support that they need.  I have spoken with so many women who have struggled with endometriosis, with delayed diagnosis and difficulty in obtaining appropriate, ongoing treatment.

“This facility in Cork will help deliver a new model of care—one that meets the complex needs of women with endometriosis while providing timely, equitable access to essential services for women living with this condition. My hope is that this state-of-the-art facility will continue to bridge the gap in healthcare for those suffering with endometriosis.

“The National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) has been instrumental in making this service a reality. Their commitment to advancing women’s healthcare ensures that these essential services will continue to evolve and improve.”