Secretary under mounting no plan to bring back mesh
I pray these surgeons can put their egos aside long enough to learn
to bring back mesh. If the Health Secretary did not know about it, we need to know why and what she intends doing about it.
“In 2014, Alex Neil was so determined to put a stop to women being injured by mesh, he was the first in the world to suspend use of implants.
“He was furious to discover later Glasgow and Lothian flouted his order and continued to implant a further 800 more women. Given that absolute lack of transparency, it is little wonder we take little A mum due to lose two organs in the next month hopes the arrival of a world-leading US surgeon might come in time to save her from the life-altering operation.
Claire Daisley, 46, who faces having both her bladder and bowel removed next month, said NHS surgeons planned to leave her mesh despite Dr Dionysios Veronikis advising “her pain will not improve without full removal”.
After initially revealing she had heard nothing from Jeane Freeman following her public plea for help, Claire received a letter from the health secretary last week confirming she had highlighted her case with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Claire now hopes Dr Veronikis might arrive in time to operate on her, adding: “If Dr Veronikis can save both or even one of my organs, I’m desperate to see him before I undergo irreversible surgery.
“I’ve written to Jeane Freeman and NHS Glasgow begging them to help me see Dr Veronikis. I’ve even offered to have Scottish surgeons watch him operate on me so they can see for themselves the difference between a full mesh removal and a partial. “My medical notes clearly state I have had ‘full mesh removal’ but only 6.5 cms were taken from an implant of what we value.”
We previously revealed that on September 12 last year, the same day the health secretary announced Scotland was fully suspending the use of mesh, Ms Calderwood wrote to health board chiefs assuring them “the halt is not intended to be permanent”.
The letter stated mesh procedures would resume when UK medical watchdog NICE issued new guidance in April and better protection for patients was in place. NICE did
are
told
at
face that is more than four times that size.
“I pray Scottish surgeons put their egos aside and learn something that will help so many of our mesh injured women.
“This is an incredible opportunity for shared knowledge and a unique chance for Scotland to develop a world-class removal service.”
Patients travel from around the globe to visit the Missouri practice of Dr Veronikis, who has performed thousands of mesh removals.
The surgeon, who has a battery of awards and credentials to his name, “welcomed the approach by the Scottish Government”.
He said: “My purpose and intent for coming to Scotland is first and foremost to offer what help and treatment I can to the women who have suffered complications, injury and pain.
“I will do all I can to help them regain the lives they have lost as a result of the use of polypropylene mesh implants.
“I have been contacted by many Scottish women who have concerns that they still have pain after partial removals and are not able to access full removal, and this is something I want to concentrate on and do all I can to ensure they have the best possible outcome. “I have spent decades removing many different pelvic mesh implants, which can be very complex procedures, and it is not always within the scope of implanting surgeons. “However, I hope that with the sharing of information and technical skills, we can all work together to improve removal surgical services for women everywhere.”
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so, claiming mesh could again be used once specific conditions and protocols were met. Baroness Cumberlege, who is conducting a review of mesh safety, immediately ruled “mesh would not be used for the foreseeable future”. Although the health secretary insisted she had not asked for planning around the lifting of the suspension, answering MSP Jackson Carlaw’s question in December, she confirmed “accountable officers” had been nominated to oversee “mesh procedures in the future”. Last week, she said: “Whether or not mesh will ever be returned will be my decision as cabinet secretary.
“I have made it very clear that I have not instructed any work to plan for that return, and I have not had any work undertaken by the Scottish Government to plan for that return.” Ms Freeman was asked to publish the minutes of the February 22 meeting, but told Parliament they “had not yet been approved”. A government spokesman said they would be published “in the near future”.