Hayley Locksley was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 24, a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. She worked as a special needs teaching assistant at a primary school beginning four years ago, but her employment ended last October after her sickness absence increased and she was deemed unfit to work. She now uses a walking stick and experiences severe back and leg pain.
A recent inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis surveyed over 6,000 women and found significant workplace impacts from the condition. The report indicated that 97% of respondents had worked while experiencing severe pain, 47% had lost income due to their symptoms, and 28% had left employment altogether. Among 250 employers surveyed, 72% reported their organization provided no training or guidance on women’s health issues, and 94% of women interviewed said employers lacked adequate understanding of endometriosis.
Carla Cressy, a 35-year-old from Essex diagnosed with endometriosis ten years ago, experienced the condition progress to frozen pelvis disease, requiring bladder reconstruction and a total hysterectomy. She now operates The Endometriosis Foundation and provided evidence to the inquiry. Faye Ramsey, 32, from Ipswich, spent ten years experiencing symptoms before receiving a diagnosis last year and subsequently undergoing a hysterectomy in June.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson acknowledged that the condition can have a “devastating impact” on women’s lives and indicated that the inquiry’s findings demonstrate the need for enhanced support in both healthcare and workplace settings. Matthew Percival of the Confederation of British Industry stated that businesses are increasingly aware of women’s health issues and interested in supporting affected employees. The three women featured in the article emphasized the need for greater employer understanding, dignity in treatment, and workplace adjustments to allow women with endometriosis to remain employed.
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