2026 National Endometriosis &
Pelvic Pain Consultation Report.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Endometriosis Coalition Calls for Urgent Structural Reform for Australia’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Care
The report, which synthesises extensive qualitative and quantitative evidence framed by the 2026 Discussion Paper, reveals that while awareness has reached record highs, the systemic infrastructure required to support the 830,000 Australians living with endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain is failing to keep pace.
Despite the positive momentum initiated by the National Action Plan for Endometriosis (NAPE) and the introduction of 33 primary care Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics (EPPCs), the 2026 findings confirm that care remains uneven, fragmented, and difficult to navigate. Diagnostic delays persist, averaging between 7 and 15+ years, and prohibitive out-of-pocket costs for essential allied healthcare continue to force patients to choose between their health and their financial security
“For too long, the response to endometriosis has been fragmented,” said Jess Taylor, Chair of the Endometriosis Coalition. “While we see pockets of progress, the systemic reality for thousands remains one of prolonged diagnostic delays, financial hardship, and a disjointed public hospital pathway. We are seeing an over-reliance on repetitive surgical intervention, rather than early, integrated interdisciplinary pain management. This report is not just an analysis—it is a blueprint for a transition to an equitable, sustainable, and consumer-centred health ecosystem.”
Key findings of the 2026 Consultation Report include:
Workforce Capability Gaps: Mandatory, standardised education on pain science and pelvic pain is currently missing from undergraduate medical and nursing curricula.
Funding Barriers: Current Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) structures fail to adequately remunerate the time-intensive nature of multidisciplinary care, leaving a critical gap in access to pelvic physiotherapy and specialized psychology.
Service Fragmentation: Public wait times often exceed 12–24 months, with minimal post-operative support or coordination between primary care and tertiary acute services.
A Call to Action for National Reform
The Endometriosis Coalition is calling on the Commonwealth and State Governments to adopt five critical strategic recommendations to move Australia’s care framework forward:
Establish Integrated Tertiary Hubs: Co-fund dedicated pelvic pain centres in every jurisdiction with joint clinical leadership between Pain Medicine and Gynaecology.
Reform Medicare Financing: Increase MBS rebates for extended GP consultations and multidisciplinary case conferencing to recognize the complex reality of chronic pain management.
Deploy a National Workforce Capability Framework: Mandate evidence-based training on endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain across all health professional degrees.
National Infrastructure: Fund a real-time National Service Map and a national surgical database with mandatory clinical indicator reporting.
Co-Design Culturally Safe Pathways: Formalise service delivery models developed in direct partnership with First Nations health organisations and priority populations.
“With the launch of this report we celebrate progress, but it is also a time to demand better,” Ms. Taylor said. “We have the roadmap. The next step is for our policymakers to commit to the structural funding and policy changes that will ensure every person in Australia can access timely, evidence-based care, regardless of where they live or their financial circumstances.”
The full 2026 National Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Consultation Report is available now,
About the Endometriosis Coalition
The Endometriosis Coalition is Australia’s peak body for endometriosis and pelvic pain. We unite leading health organizations, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and consumer advocates to drive system-wide change, ensuring that those living with endometriosis and pelvic pain are heard, supported, and connected to a skilled, evidence-based workforce.
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