Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced the opening of the Supra-Regional Endometriosis Centre, a development aimed at enhancing care for women with advanced endometriosis.
The centre, opened by Ireland Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, is situated at the Lee Clinic and is managed by Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).
It has begun welcoming patients from across Ireland.
CUMH consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and clinical director Dr Mairead O’Riordan said: “Thank you to the government for its ongoing commitment to women’s health, the launch of the centre is a significant step toward improving access to specialised healthcare and addressing the long-standing gaps in endometriosis care.”
Since 2021, the Irish Government has allocated over €5m ($5.49m) to fund staffing for endometriosis services, which includes €2.17m to expand services during this year.
In addition, €1.7m has been invested specifically in endometriosis services in Cork since 2022.
The new Endometriosis Centre at CUMH is focused on providing specialist care to women throughout the region, with a multidisciplinary team working collaboratively to offer comprehensive, personalised support to each patient.
Its establishment is a collaborative effort between the HSE and the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) and is designed to align with the National Endometriosis Framework.
This framework, a first for Ireland, sets out a clear clinical care pathway for women with endometriosis.
The centre in Cork, along with another supra-regional clinic at Tallaght University Hospital, will be supported by the regional endometriosis hub services network.
MacNeill said: “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.”
Last month, the HSE announced the launch of an Integrated Healthcare Hub in Waterford for outpatient services.
