Scottish Government Debate: Transvaginal Mesh

Jenni Minto S6M-10915 That the Parliament welcomes the report of the independent Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review; acknowledges the severe and painful complications endured by women after the implantation of transvaginal mesh and regrets that their trauma may have been exacerbated by initial service responses that doubted their lived experiences; notes the continuing improvement in support, informed by the views of affected women, offered by the specialist mesh surgical service at the New Victoria Hospital in Glasgow in particular and NHS Scotland in general, in ways well aligned with the recommendations of Professor Britton’s review; further notes the Chief Medical Officer’s request of NHS boards to sustain good practice in the seeking and recording of patients’ informed consent and to be assured locally that affected women are able to access the national mesh removal referral pathway, and supports the Scottish Government’s continuing commitment to offering women a choice of surgeon, if mesh removal surgery is considered appropriate, and to reimbursing women who had previously arranged qualifying mesh removal surgery privately. Tess White S6M-10915.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-10915 in the name of Jenni Minto (Transvaginal Mesh), leave out from first “notes” to end and insert “recognises that waiting times for mesh-injured women accessing the specialist mesh surgical service are significant and that urgent action is required by the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland to reduce long waits; notes with concern that affected women must be seen by a local urogynaecologist within their NHS board before being referred to specialist services and that a GP referral is not available; further notes that the referral pathway is lengthy and complex, especially relating to independent providers and post-operative care; urges the Scottish Government to implement the full recommendations of Professor Britton’s review to improve the support and outcomes available for women affected by surgical mesh, including the implementation of a new register for patients; requires the Scottish Government to report back to the Scottish Parliament on progress towards the implementation of the review’s recommendations, including on how the management of women’s healthcare and the communication of treatment implications are being addressed by NHS boards; seeks assurances that there will be a patient role in shaping how services supporting mesh-injured women are provided, and calls for clarity around the reimbursement arrangements for women who have arranged qualifying mesh removal surgery privately.” Jackie Baillie S6M-10915.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-10915 in the name of Jenni Minto (Transvaginal Mesh), insert at end “; is concerned by the long waits for a first appointment at the Complex Mesh Surgical Service, whilst some women have reported a lack of clarity around accessing the full range of support available for mesh-related injuries; regrets that not all of the recommendations of the reviews by Professor Britton have been implemented; agrees that a realistic medicine approach is essential going forward, where patients are empowered and supported to be in control of their healthcare, and calls on the Scottish Government to set out how it will eradicate long waits for appointments and ensure that women affected by transvaginal mesh are informed and able to easily access the range of support available, which should be person-centred and trauma-informed ongoing care, and to publish both a strategy for increased surgical training and capacity building in alternative procedures to mesh, and data on waiting times for alternative procedures.”