Gynaecology data gaps are delaying care for women, warns report

Widespread failures to collect data and monitor best practice in gynaecology services are leaving women facing longer delays to diagnosis and treatment, according to a report from the Medical Technology Group (MTG).

The MTG’s report, ‘A System that Learns: Embedding Best Practice Across the NHS‘, published on 3 March 2026, analyses freedom of information responses from 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) in England.

Its analysis found that most ICBs do not track diagnosis, patient outcomes or National Institute for Health and Care Excellence adherence in gynaecology, despite more than 750,000 women waiting for care.

The MTG warns that this lack of data and governance is contributing to a ‘postcode lottery’ across women’s health and other clinical areas.

Barbara Harpham, chair of the MTG, said: “Our findings show that, in many parts of the NHS, system leaders simply do not have the data, governance or oversight needed to understand how key services are performing or how to improve them.

“This is particularly evident in gynaecology, where women’s health is suffering because of major gaps in data collection and strategic planning across ICBs.

“Robust data and governance are essential to support the adoption and spread of best practice, making it easier for women to access and choose less invasive medical technologies that can reduce time to treatment and ensure safer outcomes.

“At present, too much accountability sits solely with providers, while NHS leaders and commissioners lack the information and levers they need to monitor performance and drive the adoption of best practice.”

‘Lacking basic information’

The report looks at four clinical areas: diagnostics, orthopaedics, gynaecology, and continence care to assess variation in the quality of services.

Unlike better-resourced specialties, most ICBs lack basic information on referral pathways, waiting times, diagnosis, treatment or outcomes for women’s health conditions, the MTG says.

It found that in diagnostics, nearly a quarter of patients in England waited six weeks or more for key diagnostic tests in August 2025, far above the standard of under 1%.

While some areas have well-established Community Diagnostic Centres, the MTG says that many lack proper integration, outcome tracking, and consistent oversight.

The research also found that continence services often lack basic data, audit, and oversight, with FOI findings showing minimal accountability and major gaps in understanding service quality.

The group is calling for the introduction of a national best practice framework to standardise data collection, governance, and learning across ICBs.

It also recommends systematic sharing of best practice across the NHS, with high performing areas as the NHS designated by ‘gold standard’ to allow best practice to be shared nationally.

The MTG is a UK coalition of patient groups, research charities, and medical device companies which work to ensure patient access to medical technology on the NHS.

Its findings are part of its ‘Commission on NHS Culture’, an investigation into how organisational culture across the NHS affects the adoption and spread of innovation and technology to improve the delivery of services.