A medical cannabis clinic has launched a dedicated women’s health service, targeting conditions like endometriosis and perimenopause symptoms as NHS gynaecology waiting lists reach crisis levels.
The service, launched by Alternaleaf, comes as NHS gynaecology waiting lists have more than doubled since 2020, leaving 630,000 women waiting for care. Endometriosis, which affects one in 10 women of reproductive age, takes an average of eight years to diagnose on the NHS.
Almost 90% of healthcare professionals believe gynaecology waiting times are impacting patients’ quality of life, according to a recent Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists survey, with 88% of patients reporting worsening symptoms during delays.
The clinic reports a 50% increase in female patients every three months, with women seeking treatment for conditions including endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, and perimenopause symptoms.
“We’ve seen dramatically increasing numbers of patients coming to us to manage endometriosis, heavy periods and perimenopause symptoms, many of whom feel dismissed by doctors elsewhere or reject strong painkillers due to disruptive side effects,” said Alternaleaf’s Nabila Chaudhri. “As Medical Director – and as a woman who has experienced medical misogyny myself – I wanted to ensure our approach to women’s health was robust, so women know they will be taken seriously by clinicians trained in gynaecology, perimenopause, menopause and chronic pain.”
A 2024 Women and Equalities Select Committee inquiry found that women with heavy periods, endometriosis, and adenomyosis are often routinely dismissed by NHS doctors. Less than 2.5% of publicly funded medical research in the UK is dedicated to reproductive health, highlighting the broader gender care gap that private clinics are now attempting to fill.
The human cost of delayed diagnosis is illustrated by cases like that of Hann Dougie (31), a dental nurse from Swansea, who experienced debilitating period pain and endometriosis symptoms from age 10. After an eight-year diagnostic journey, she spent over a decade on codeine and antidepressants, which caused severe side effects.
At 17, doctors told her to “get pregnant” to ease her pain, advice repeated multiple times. In 2021, Hann discovered medical cannabis and has not taken codeine since. She now works longer hours, exercises again, and reports vastly improved quality of life.
“I didn’t even know it was legal in this country, but I’m so glad I discovered it,” Hann said. “Codeine and the pill have awful long-term side effects, and so many people could benefit from this.”
A 2025 survey of 889 endometriosis patients across 28 countries found that cannabis had fewer side effects and provided greater relief from pain than pharmaceuticals. The study reported that 77.7% of respondents reported that cannabis was more effective than their previous pharmaceutical medications, whilst 78.2% reported fewer side effects. Additionally, 90.2% said they would recommend cannabis to friends or family members with endometriosis.
Additionally, a 2025 survey of 500 NHS doctors and GPs found that 8 in 10 (79%) of doctors and 82% of GPs said that the UK is over-reliant on prescribing opioids to manage chronic pain symptoms. A further 76% of NHS doctors said they believe treatment options for women’s health conditions, including endometriosis, perimenopause, and PMDD, are too limited.
The economic impact is significant; the NHS Confederation reported that a £30 million investment in women’s health could benefit the UK economy by more than 10 times that amount, with more than 60,000 women currently out of work due to menopause symptoms alone.
“Medical cannabis offers a safer alternative to conventional painkillers and antidepressants, which many patients report have significant side effects, “Chaudhri added. “While it won’t be for everyone, it’s a valid option for thousands of women suffering from common but life-altering conditions. I’d like to see more women signposted to medical cannabis as a safer option when they turn to their GPs for support”.
Image source: Depositphotos
