Thousands of pelvic mesh victims ‘deserve redress’
A Cambridgeshire woman has welcomed a report by the Patient Safety Commissioner calling for financial redress for women harmed by pelvic mesh.
In a landmark report on comprehensive options for those harmed, Dr Henrietta Hughes found that women were left in debilitating pain following mesh surgery for stress urinary incontinence and prolapse. This has resulted in many having to stop working and face a lifetime of pain that has also impacted negatively on their relationships.
The Hughes report calls on the government to set up a two-stage redress scheme to ensure patients receive long overdue financial redress quickly. The commissioner highlights in her report an award of £25,000 via this interim scheme, followed by a main scheme payout, based on the individual needs of each patient.
The recommendations are yet to be approved by the government.
Cambridgeshire campaigner Kath Sansom, 56, who works in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire and lives in March, is the founder of Sling The Mesh, which was set up in 2015 with 20 members and now has more than 10,000 from around the world.
She said: “While we are pleased that this report validates the suffering of thousands of women many who have lost jobs, pensions, homes, partners, and live in constant pain, there are also concerning elements to it.
“Most notably, the initial sum of £20,000 to £25,000 for mesh is disappointingly low. We hope second stage payments for women directly harmed will compensate for that and our members will not have to jump through hoops to receive it. All women harmed by pelvic mesh trusted they were having a gold standard surgery, with little to no warning of risks from their surgeon, and as a result experienced irreversible, life-altering complications. Many were then gaslit and deceived for years, and, just like the Post Office scandal, told they were the only one suffering, forcing them to suffer in silence.”
Surgical mesh is a permanent polypropylene plastic implant used to support weakened tissue, but it can fragment, twist, degrade or shrink to slice into nerves, tissue and organs. Removing mesh implants is major, complex surgery.
The Hughes Report also sets out non-financial redress to provide support and drive positive change for those affected, including a dedicated housing grant and improved access to education, benefits, and support.
It outlines a new redress agency independent of government and suggests that the proposed agency to manage redress for those harmed by the contaminated blood scandal could be used, if given sufficient capacity and expertise.
Dr Hughes said: “My report could not be clearer – the case for redress has been made. It highlights in detail the daily problems that impact on those who have been harmed, who have seen their lives destroyed by pelvic mesh, and the children who will never be able to live independent lives. This redress programme is a crucial step towards acknowledging the challenges faced by families impacted by pelvic mesh-related harm. Redress is not just financial: we support calls from experts to ensure comprehensive care and support for affected women, children, and their families.”