In July 2018, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) asked the HSE to pause all mesh procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending implementation of specific recommendations as set out in his report on The Use
of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures.
The report was informed by the available national and international evidence and the personal experiences of women who have suffered complications following mesh surgery. The CMO’s report includes a recommendation on identifying the number of women requiring, and likely to require, specialist multidisciplinary services.
In terms of any future decision to lift the pause on mesh surgical procedures, My Department has recently received a report from the HSE’s National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group detailing progress made on implementation of the CMO’s recommendations. My officials are currently examining the report and liaising with their counterparts in the HSE. The pause on mesh surgeries remains in place pending confirmation of comprehensive implementation of the CMO’s recommendations.
The HSE has created a dedicated webpage about vaginal mesh implants, including contact information regarding the pathways for women suffering complications. In addition, multidisciplinary specialist services are now available for women suffering from mesh complications across two sites at Cork University Hospital (CUMH) and National Maternity Hospital (NMH) Dublin. Women who experience any symptoms of complications following surgery can contact their GP, the consultant who performed the surgery, or the Mesh Complication Services for advice on referrals.
