Endometriosis specialist centre accreditation

A Wolverhampton NHS Trust has been officially recognised as a special endometriosis centre offering complex surgery for the condition that affects around 1.5 million women across the UK.

Yasmin Walker

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) has been given accreditation by the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) after the team had to prove the quality of care was up to the high standards set by the BSGE.

Yasmin Walker became the first Clinical Nurse Specialist for endometriosis at RWT when she came into post 18 months ago.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue in the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It affects women of all ages.

Since being in post Yasmin has introduced a weekly lifestyle clinic, a specialist endometriosis clinic where she sees new patients referred to the team, and a monthly TENS machine clinic.

There is also a helpline and dedicated email address patients under the care of the Trust can contact for further support and information.

Sian Kumar is a current patient being supported by the clinic. She had surgery in November 2023 after being diagnosed with Stage 3 endometriosis.

She said: “Before the surgery I was in so much pain. My periods were so painful I was doubled up in agony. It affected my confidence and I felt so low.

“After surgery I felt much better and did some research into my diet, adding a vitamin supplement and adding in more exercise.

“Yasmin also gave me loads of information and tips to help in the future. She was so lovely and gave some great advice. She was so informative and also listened and understood everything I was saying which really helped.

“I now feel much better within myself and more confident again.”

Endometriosis affects one in 10 women and the most common symptoms are:

• pain in your lower tummy or back (pelvic pain) – usually worse during your period
• period pain that stops you doing your normal activities
• pain during or after sex
• pain when peeing or pooing during your period
• feeling sick, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in your pee or poo during your period
• difficulty getting pregnant

Yasmin added: “Lifestyle changes play an important part of living a healthy life and may make a different and help with women’s symptoms. If you make changes to your diet and become more active you can usually see a change. That is why I wanted to set up lifestyle clinics.

“We have received some brilliant feedback from them and they are incorporated as part of people’s treatment plans. I am also proud to say we have started Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machine clinics which is used as another form of pain relief without side effects.

“I have recently completed the nursing prescribing course so I can prescribe some forms of pain relief and contraception to help with symptoms, and they can receive timely treatment and prescriptions without having to wait for doctors.

“We are a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) led by Consultant Gynaecologist Dr Rosie Malhas, working closely with Consultants and Nurses from departments including Colorectal, Urology, Radiology, Pain management, and Physiotherapy. We hold regular MDT meetings to discuss complex cases and see some of these patients in MDT clinics. I also network with other Endometriosis nurses in the Midlands.

“My future plans include raising awareness of Endometriosis within the Trust, teaching in the wider community, and I am hoping to set up a self-referral pathway for our own staff members to our service, to help with staff retention.

“Providing high-quality, patient-centred care delivered with compassion and understanding allows us to put the patient at the centre of their care.”

ENDS

• For further information, please email amy.downward@nhs.net