Advocates Urge Increased Support for Endometriosis Patients

Campaigners Push for Better Endometriosis Support in Jersey

A local advocacy group is calling for improved support and healthcare services for people living with endometriosis in Jersey.

Endometriosis Jersey recently organised a screening of the documentary Below the Belt at the Jersey Arts Centre. The event aimed to raise awareness of the condition, which affects approximately one in ten women and is known to cause chronic pain and potential fertility issues.

Kate Fry, the organiser of the screening, lives with endometriosis herself. She began experiencing symptoms at the age of 14 and has since undergone multiple surgeries and hormone treatment in an effort to manage the condition. Fry hopes that events like the screening will lead to greater awareness, education, and meaningful change in how the condition is addressed on the island. She also highlighted the importance of involving men in the conversation, noting the role they play in providing support.

Looking ahead, she plans to conduct a survey to assess how widespread endometriosis is in Jersey and to better understand its impact on residents.

The event included a panel discussion featuring healthcare professionals and advocates who explored the challenges faced by endometriosis patients and potential strategies to improve support.

Among those in attendance was Health Minister Deputy Tom Binet, who expressed interest in collaborating with campaigners moving forward. He noted the importance of including men in the conversation and suggested that male perspectives, particularly from general practitioners, could be valuable in future discussions. Deputy Binet acknowledged that the talk could have benefited from more audience interaction and pledged to meet with Fry to explore ways of strengthening health services for endometriosis patients.

Panel member Trudi Roscouet, a women’s health advocate and founder of Eve Studios, emphasised the need for better education on menstrual health, particularly among young people aged 12 to 13. She pointed to the lack of funding for such initiatives as a key barrier and underscored the importance of equipping both students and general practitioners with accurate information to improve early recognition and treatment of conditions like endometriosis.

From a clinical perspective, Dr Maitiu O Tuathail of the Primary Care Body noted that endometriosis can be challenging to diagnose due to the wide range of symptoms. He explained that while MRI scans are a helpful diagnostic tool, GPs in Jersey currently have limited access to them, which hampers effective diagnosis and treatment.

He added that ongoing education for GPs is crucial and confirmed that the Primary Care Body recently held a specialist session focused on endometriosis to support this effort.

In response to concerns around education, Jersey's Education Department stated that schools are encouraged to include menstrual wellbeing in Key Stage 3 and 4 curricula. However, decisions on specific content and allocation of teaching resources remain at the discretion of individual schools.

The campaign has brought renewed attention to the gaps in care, education, and diagnosis for endometriosis sufferers in Jersey, and advocates hope the momentum will lead to systemic improvements.