On 31 January, in Parliament, I asked the Government to ensure that women who have hysteroscopies are treated with dignity and respect.

A hysteroscopy involves the insertion of a camera into the womb, to look for abnormalities. Samples can be taken from the lining of the womb. Having a hysteroscopy can be very important for ruling out or diagnosing cancers early, but for many women, the procedure causes terrible pain. It is usually done with little or no anaesthetic, and many women are told nothing that could prepare them.

Hysteroscopies can save lives, but far too often patients are experiencing agony and humiliation. It is completely unacceptable and it must change. This was my ninth speech in Parliament on this issue. Change is long overdue.

Over eight years ago, my constituent Debbie told me about her experience. Debbie was not offered an anaesthetic before her hysteroscopy. She was in so much torturous pain during the procedure, that she tried to stop the consultant from continuing. Horrifyingly, a nurse held her down.

Since I first told Debbie’s story in Parliament, many other women have contacted me with their appalling stories. Women are being misled about the risks of pain, laughed at for asking for pain relief, told they’re making a fuss over nothing, and left feeling utterly violated.

Since my speech, more women have written to me. A nurse told me how after being refused a general anaesthetic, she found her hysteroscopy so painful that she tried to stop it. Shamefully, her colleagues responded by forcibly pinning her down and continuing.

This can’t go on. The Government and the NHS must address the way women’s pain and rights are all too often ignored by doctors.

I’ve asked the Government to ensure three things.

First, that tackling painful hysteroscopies will be a core issue in the expected Women’s Health Strategy, and that patient groups are involved in discussing and monitoring the strategy.

Second, that all hysteroscopy patients are offered a full range of anaesthetics and informed of the risks of serious pain.

Third, that investment is made for more anaesthetists and theatre capacity for hysteroscopy patients.

The Minister made some key commitments in response to my speech. I will hold her to these and will continue to campaign until all women who need to undergo painful and invasive procedures are treated with the respect we all deserve.

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