Waiting lists: Nurse specialist tackling NI gynae backlog
Nurses should be encouraged to specialise in gynaecological procedures to help tackle hospital waiting lists, Northern Ireland's only nurse hysteroscopist has said.
Vicky Burns recently qualified as a clinical lead hysteroscopy and colposcopy nurse.
As a result, the Northern Health Trust opened a dedicated women's service.
A hysteroscopy is a specialist test to look inside a woman's womb, using a thin tube with a small camera.
A role normally undertaken by doctors, duties include investigating abnormal bleeding and checking for cancer.
Ms Burns' appointment and the opening of the Eden Suite at Antrim Area Hospital have led to cuts in some hysteroscopy waiting times.
"My specialist area would be detecting abnormalities in the womb and investigating ladies who present with abnormal bleeding," she told BBC News NI.
Demand for gynae services outweighs existing capacity and it is an area that is expected to increase due to an ageing population.
In the past 12 months, 1,132 patients have been seen in the nurse-led Eden Suite.
'Behind the times'
Ms Burns said after seeing waiting lists grow for hysteroscopies and colposcopies, she wanted to do something so women could be seen quicker.
She said it had been"disappointing" to see nurses appointed to similar posts in mainland UK.
"We are a bit behind the times here," Ms Burns added.
Last month, after 18 months of studying, Ms Burns successfully completed her BSCCP Colposcopy Training.
As a qualified nurse colposcopist, the Northern Trust is now planning a dedicated nurse-led colposcopy clinic as well as a nurse-led hysteroscopy clinic.
Ms Burns said there were a lot of areas within nursing and advanced practice where the female reproductive system was "seen as a forgotten speciality".
She said young and aspiring nurses should be encouraged to get trained up.
"We know that the dividends can pay off in the hysteroscopy service and that can be expanded within other areas of gynaecology," she added.
Marina McCorriston, 55, from Ballymoney was red flagged by her GP after she experienced irregular bleeding.
Ms McCorriston, who hadn't had a period for two years and was in menopause, noticed bleeding when going to the toilet.
Within three weeks a hysteroscopy was carried out and Ms McCorriston was diagnosed with a condition called atypical hyperplasia which means she is at a higher risk of developing uterine cancer.
"This nurse led service makes so much sense, if a nurse can be freed and trained up to do this hysteroscopy it frees up a consultant to see all the other different gynae issues that are going on - it means I am seen quicker - it is a no brainer," she said.
'I've been telling everyone'
Ms McCorriston who has a family history of gynae cancer will be closely monitored to ensure cells are not developing that may turn cancerous.
"I have been telling my friend's group, colleagues including men as they have wives and daughters who need to know, we are very poor on gynae health we need to upskill people," she said.
Ms McCorriston said she had decided to stick with the NHS and not go privately, as the Eden Suite team were supportive and she was seen quickly.
"Vicky and her team are doing this all day, every day - I feel well supported I like seeing a nurse led practitioner rather than a consultant," she said.
"My message to those who are shaping health services is to look at your resources within your staff and just because someone hasn't gone to medical school for seven years doesn't mean you can't be trained up to do a specific task and to do it very well."
The assistant director of Women's Health at the Northern Health Trust said more nurses needed to be trained in specialist services to shorten waiting lists.
Caroline Diamond said hysteroscopy waiting lists, especially for those with suspected cancers, were now being tackled head on in the Eden Suite.
"Waiting times for hysteroscopies have gone from 40 days to 14, in some cases 10 days, and women are getting their results quicker too," she said.
She added that more training places should be available for nurses to train in specialist roles and start similar clinics across each of the trusts,.
The health minister has said that the current system is unsustainable, and that transformational change is urgently needed.
Speaking about cancer services, Robin Swann said while some of this work could be completed using the funding and resources currently available, additional investment would be required to help meet these service challenges.
