Future generations must be protected better than we were
BY ELAINE HOLMES MESH-DAMAGED PATIENT AND CAMPAIGNER
Our journey has been long and hard. Along the way, we have lost mesh-injured women, we’ve been lied to, disbelieved, and been treated abominably by the people and institutions who were supposed to care for us and protect us.
We kept going with our campaign because we were determined no other women should have to suffer as we have had to.
We have endured frustrations dealing with professional organisations who seem determined not to listen to patients, regulators who appear intransigent in the face of human suffering, and a system that is clearly just not fit for purpose.
In many ways, the Cumberlege Report vindicated us.
We hope this wake-up call will move the Scottish Government to finish what we started and implement the changes that are much needed to ensure medical scandals like mesh are never allowed to happen again.
There must be an independent Patients’ Commissioner to speak for us and act for us.
Scotland has the ability to lead the world once more and show them how to keep patients safe.
It is up to us now to ensure our politicians follow through so future generations are protected better than we ever were.