It is a great start, Health Secretary, but is not the end
Mesh campaigners welcome Government ban but say the fight goes on
Thewomen who first gave a voice to Scotland’s mesh victims yesterday welcomed a ban announced by Holyrood ministers last week. But the two courageous campaigners said their fight to halt the use of all plastic surgical mesh – which continues to be used on both men and women – will continue. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman last week said NHS boards have been told to stop using vaginal mesh in cases of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence but other types of mesh procedures will continue. Elaine Holmes, who launched the Hear Our Voice campaign six years ago, said: “Although this is a phenomenal victory for patient power, it’s sad it took so long for the Government to listen. “It concerns us mesh procedures are still being carried out, and we will continue our campaign until mesh is no longer used.” She said the “endemic reluctance” by doctors to listen to patients had prolonged the use of mesh and put more patients at risk. Her campaign colleague Olive McIlroy said: “We believe we’re still only just seeing the tip of the iceberg, and fear many more victims will be identified before this scandal is over. “Amongst our numbers are many suffering terrible injuries from hernia mesh, which is made of the same substance as bladder and pelvic organ mesh. “We must never forget brave Michele McDougall whose dying wish was to prevent others suffering before she passed away in May after years of denial from surgeons that hernia mesh was to blame for her agony. “Marion McMillan from Paisley is dying from cancer. She was sent to a psychiatrist because doctors said her problems were ‘all in her head’ instead of being sent for the scan that could have saved her life. “Right now, many are fighting to get funding to access specialist surgeons in England who are most experienced at removing mesh. “We should have access to those services here. “But specialists in Scotland How we covered the case refuse to use translabial ultrasound scanners, the only method that can accurately show where mesh is inside the body.” Urogynaecologist Wael Agur said: “It is essential that the Scottish Government continues to monitor the use of these devices as there are surgeons who still believe they are the best treatment for incontinence and may try to circumvent the restriction programme that limits the use for these devices. “As for the abdominal placement of mesh procedures, there are lessons yet to be learnt. “The risks associated with all these procedures are avoidable and until such risks can be mitigated, I believe these procedures should either be included in the recent Government action or at least undergo a similar restriction program to the one proposed.” Labour’s Neil Findlay describes mesh as a “grotesque and deadly product”, and said last week’s decision was “the Government’s first positive step forward in this dreadful scandal”. He is “appalled” two of Scotland’s biggest health authorities NHS Glasgow and NHS Lothian continued to implant a further 750 women after the 2014 suspension. He said: “This procedure was brought in as a way to save money, £200 per patient. “Nobody considered the human cost in devastated lives or the huge cost to the NHS treating those women who have been injured.”