Maria Caulfield, Women’s’ health minister welcomes funding for Endometriosis pilot
Lewes MP and health minister, Maria Caulfield has welcomed the news that £12.4 million has been awarded to six innovative new projects to understand barriers to getting into work for women. Projects include investigating the impact of endometriosis on women’s work choices which is one of the priority areas for improvement in the national Womens Health Strategy .
The funding will help overcome barriers facing those who need the most support getting into work and for women suffering with endometriosis suffering from pain and needing time off for medical appointments can be difficult in the work place.
Maria has been working with the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Victoria Atkins, who said: “Our jobs record is incredibly strong, with high employment that means millions of people are benefiting from work. But for some, that’s not happening.
“We need to look for solutions that are tailored to help people thrive in the jobs market. This analysis is the first step towards that – looking at specific health conditions or living arrangements to find out what works to help people work.”
Minister for the Women’s Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said:
“Endometriosis can be a debilitating condition that stops women and girls from living their lives to their fullest potential.
Through the Women’s Health Strategy we have set an ambition for all women and girls with severe endometriosis to experience better care, with reduced waiting times for diagnosis and providing funding for key research into the condition.
The support doesn’t stop at health, and today’s announcement demonstrates how we’re taking a cross-government approach to help women with endometriosis get back to living their best lives.”
One of the projects includes a first-of-its-kind Office for National Statistics (ONS) evaluation which will investigate the impact of endometriosis on women’s participation and progression in the workforce. Endometriosis can affect around 1 in 10 women, with symptoms including chronic pain and fatigue which can disrupt daily routines, fertility and mental health and time off work may be needed for coping with symptoms. Previous work has shown that women with the condition often take this into consideration when making career choices, including the likelihood they will need to take significantly more sick leave. This project will improve understanding and help inform government plans to support women with the condition in their careers.