- Diane Organ UK Minister of Parliament backs better information Services for wome

Diane Organ campaigns for better information re: hysterectomy

Mrs. Diana Organ UK Labour Minister of Parliament for the Forest of Dean campaigns on the the issue of hysterectomy services in the UK, following concerns raised by her constituents. Concerns range from the lack of information, advice, counselling and guidance about the procedure and its after-effects, to the treatment offered, surgery involved and after-care, and to the attitudes of some members of the medical profession towards women receiving the treatment. The issue was not restricted to women in the Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire, but involves many thousands of women throughout Britain.

Diana Organ Hysterectomy statement in the UK Parliament

According to Diana Organ there are more hysterectomies (womb removals) in the UK per head than France and the United States of America. Only approximately 10 per cent. are carried out because of cancer and others for serious health conditions, but most are carried out because of non life-threatening conditions and to improve the quality of life of the patients. She believes that hysterectomies should improve those patients' lives not deteriorate them.

Diane Organ UK Parliament Questions & Answers extract

Diana Organ asked 57 women from a hysterectomy support group to fill in a questionnaire, so that she could elicit their views on their treatment. Diana Organ said, " there was a disturbing pattern of anger at the manner of their treatment. They were not ready for and did not expect what happened to them, and all complained about a lack of information and advice. They were often told that the procedure was the only option. The exact nature of the surgery was not clearly explained to them, so there was a general feeling of a lack of informed consent. Only one was given a leaflet, and that was in relation to a hysterectomy many years ago.

A loss of libido was common, and a side effect was a change in their sex lives and lack of satisfaction with sexual intercourse. There were acute menopausal problems, incontinence after the operation and lower back pain. Unfortunately, most of the women did not complain at the time through the normal complaints procedure, because they felt beaten down and decided that it would be useless to try to take on and fight the whole medical fraternity.

The women in the group complained that some of their questions at consultation before treatment were brushed aside. Many were told that they would not need wombs or ovaries at their age. Some asked whether it was possible to retain the cervix and were told that it was not, but it is. When they asked about the effects on their future sex life, they were told that everything would be fine, if not better. When one woman mentioned the loss of libido post-operatively, it was suggested that she have a couple of gins.

The women in the group did not have hysterectomies because of cancer. For 37 of them, the reason was heavy periods, and some had ovaries removed as well for that reason.

Related Links

For more information Read Diana Organ's Parliamentary Questions in full at the House of Commons Hansard Debates CLICK HERE

Diane Organ MP's website CLICK HERE

For legal advice, in the UK Contact the Law Society Click Here

Gary Mc Farlane a UK Lawyer specializes in this field and spoke at Fibroid Network's Press Conference at Bloomberg , London July 2001 on informed choice & consent. Contact him at Veale Wasborough Lawyers, Orchard Court ,Orchard Lane Bristol BS1 5WS or visit www.vwl.co.uk

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