Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018
547. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health when the chief medical officer’s report into the investigation of claims regarding transvaginal mesh complications will be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30335/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra549. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if proposals have been made to commission scanning, imaging or ultrasound devices in hospitals to detect polypropylene transvaginal mesh or sub-urethral sling complications; his plans to train or recruit specialised radiologists and or technicians to carry out this function; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30337/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 547 and 549 together.
As Minister for Health I am committed to putting in place the measures necessary to ensure that both the current use of Transvaginal mesh implants (TVMIs) in surgical procedures in Ireland, and the ongoing clinical management of women who have had these procedures in the past are in line with international best practice and emerging evidence. The report of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to him will make recommendations in relation to the clinical and technical issues involved and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
In advance of finalisation of the report by the CMO, two priority recommendations have been identified for immediate advancement. These are (i) the development of appropriate patient information resources and consent materials and (ii) clarification and development of treatment pathways and appropriate referral services for women suffering from mesh-related complications.
I am informed that the CMO wrote to the Acting Director General of the HSE, and to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (IOG), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and the Continence Foundation of Ireland (CFI) on May 28th 2018, requesting that the Executive commence work on these Priority Recommendations, in conjunction with the IOG, the RCSI and the CFI.
The HSE has confirmed that work has commenced by the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in the HSE to progress these recommendations, and the experiences of the women concerned will be an essential element to informing the assessment of need and identifying the aftercare services required. This work will include identifying the appropriate specialist clinical expertise and facilities required at hospital group level and nationally to provide comprehensive aftercare services, including the role of specialist diagnostic services such as translabial scanning. Pending the completion of this work, there may be a need to look at sourcing services from abroad to address any immediate shortfalls identified, either through utilisation of the treatment abroad scheme or by commissioning services from abroad. A Learning Notice concerning mesh devices in uro-gynaecological procedures was circulated by the NWIHP on 26th June 2018 to all maternity hospitals and acute hospitals with gynaecological services to highlight the importance of appropriate patient selection, adequate information and consent and also to inform the service providers that a Response Group has been convened to propose remedies for and address the provision of aftercare for complications. This learning notice has been posted on the NWIHP website which can be found at this link.
