I'm on six different NHS waiting lists - it's taking over my life

Amy-Jane Davies is on six NHS waiting lists, and says constantly chasing for updates is taking over her life.

She's waited 21 months for gynaecological surgery, which she said will likely result in her being referred for a more specialist operation - meaning another waiting list.

Amy-Jane, who has endometriosis, is one of 46,289 on a gynaecology waiting list in Wales and one of 713,048 waiting for any type of treatment.

She said her condition had affected her life in ways she "didn't imagine", from reducing her hours at work to deciding not to become a mother.

With the Senedd election in Wales on 7 May, NHS waiting times are one of the challenges facing the next Welsh government.

Amy-Jane, 30, from south Wales, was first diagnosed with endometriosis in 2018, a condition where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body.

Her symptoms range from abdominal cramping and severe bloating to migraines, fatigue, as well as bladder and bowel problems.

"During Covid, the gynaecology waiting lists grew to eight to 10 years and at that point I knew there was just no way I could wait that long to get something done," she said.

In 2021, Amy-Jane paid £4,000 for private surgery with help from her mum and nan.

The procedure removed the endometriosis from her uterus, womb and bladder but also discovered evidence of the condition on her bowel, which needed the involvement of additional specialist surgeons.

Amy-Jane's own health board told her she would need to be referred to one of the two accredited endometriosis surgical centres in Wales for that surgery, but that she required a laparoscopy before the referral would be accepted.

She has now been waiting 21 months for that procedure, but has also been referred to see specialists for her bowel, bladder and migraines, as well as an ultrasound and MRI.

"You're constantly chasing them," she said. "It's taking over a bit, if I'm honest, and it's really no good for my mental health."

Independent data analysing the use of private healthcare providers in Wales shows there has been a rise in recent years, with a larger proportion self-funding treatment compared to those with health insurance.

Amy-Jane said she had given a lot of thought to whether she would go private again, but said she felt hopeful that she was now near the top of the waiting list in her own health board.

"It is really unrealistic for me to go privately," she said.

"I've spoken to my gynaecologist about this and because my next surgery needs an endometriosis specialist but also a colorectal (surgeon) and a gynaecologist at the same time I was quoted that it would be no less than £15,000.

"I've already had to reduce my hours at work because of my symptoms. I'm a single homeowner, there's no way I could afford something at that price.

"It just feels really cruel that I could be putting myself into debt, when in a year or two all my symptoms could just come straight back.

"Because endometriosis has no cure - it is a condition that is not life-threatening but is aggressively life-altering."

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has produced a dashboard analysing waiting times across the four UK nations.

When looking at the waits per head of population, gynaecology is on a par with trauma and orthopaedics as the two specialties with the longest waiting lists in Wales.

Compared to the rest of the UK, Wales has proportionately one of the highest rates waiting for gynaecology treatment, second only to Northern Ireland.

The numbers in Wales peaked in August 2025, when there were 56,069 waiting for gynaecological treatment. The numbers fell to 46,289 in January, but have been at those levels for five years - still far higher than pre-Covid figures.

Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said burnout among the workforce was certainly a factor, but access to theatre time was also an issue.

"We are still on a regular basis, unfortunately, having to have battles to have gynaecological theatres across the UK.

"We would really like to see women's health prioritised. That means not only to make pathways clearer, but also to make sure that we have equitable theatre space and gynaecological capacity."

She said patients often ended up in A&E as a consequence.

"For women it affects their work, their lives - looking after children or dependents and it means that their condition potentially gets worse.

"They may have blood transfusions or other treatments while they're waiting. So their conditions are not standing still while they're waiting and this is something that really, really concerns me."

She said the launch of the NHS Wales women's health plan in 2024 was to be welcomed, but "proper investment" and "tangible plans that can be tracked" were now required.

The Welsh government said it was unable to comment on the issue ahead of the Senedd election, however it previously said that waiting lists in Wales had fallen for eight consecutive months.

The Green Party described waiting times as "appalling" and said it would "deliver a coherent package" of reforms.

"We will make additional investments in primary care, making it easier for people to see a GP or other health worker so their physical and mental health issues can be addressed earlier before they develop into crisis requiring hospital care."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats said patients in Wales were "left waiting far too long for treatment".

"We would cut waiting lists by boosting the health workforce and expanding diagnostic capacity, but also by fixing the social care crisis, investing in thousands of new care placements to end corridor care and free up hospital beds."

Reform Wales said waiting lists "remain far longer than in England for too many patients".

"Only Reform UK has a plan to bear down on the bloated bureaucracy of the Welsh NHS to properly fund primary care and implement a workforce plan that makes use of our talented nurses and paramedics here in Wales as opposed to telling them they have to seek work abroad."

Plaid Cymru said people on waiting lists were "living in pain, discomfort and anxiety".

"Plaid Cymru's NHS waiting lists plan - designed with health experts - will cut waiting times and get people treated quicker, and reduce pressure on our NHS. We'll create 10 surgical hubs across Wales, specialising in treatments with the highest waits."

A Welsh Conservative spokesperson said patients in Wales were "still waiting too long for treatment".

"The Welsh Conservatives will declare a health emergency, increase bed capacity, deliver a workforce plan to recruit and retain staff, and strengthen primary care to improve access to GPs, reduce pressure on hospitals and ensure patients can access timely care."

Welsh Labour are yet to reply, but their manifesto has promised surgical and diagnostic hubs, as well as money for new hospitals and repairs.