Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
602. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to ending the pause on the use of mesh for urinary stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgeries in Irish public hospitals; if he will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations from the Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44974/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that complications from a mesh implant can be very distressing and painful for the women experiencing them. Since concerns about mesh complications came to the attention of the Department of Health in late 2017, the ongoing priority focus for the Department has been to ensure that all women experiencing mesh related complications receive high quality, multi-disciplinary and patient-centred care.
Uro-Gynaecological (Transvaginal) mesh is used in the surgical treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) in women and such mesh devices have been widely used for this over the past two decades. However, in late 2017, in line with emerging international evidence, concerns were raised at national level regarding the frequency and severity of complications associated with the use of transvaginal mesh devices. The then Minister for Health requested the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to prepare a report on the clinical and technical issues involved.
In November 2018, the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures was published. The Report made 19 recommendations in all, including the necessity to develop patient information and informed consent materials; surgical professional training and multi-disciplinary expertise in units carrying out mesh procedures, and ensuring timely, appropriate and accessible care pathways for the management of women with complications. In July 2018, the CMO had asked the HSE to pause all mesh procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending confirmation of the implementation of specific recommendations in the CMO’s Report. This pause remains in place.
In April 2019 the HSE published a detailed Implementation Plan to progress the recommendations detailed in this report and significant progress has been made in relation to the implementation of the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures (2018) and the National Women and Infants Health Programme continue to lead on this work for the HSE.
The focus for the HSE and my Department is the full implementation of the CMO’s Report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures and ensuring that women who require aftercare following mesh complications receive high quality, multi-disciplinary patient centred care in accordance with the evidence and supported by robust clinical governance mechanisms. Department officials continue to engage with the HSE in this regard.
