Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10 July 2018 on Update on the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, HCWS841, if he will publish in detail the Government’s plan for a high vigilance programme of restricted practice for the use of surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence.

On 10 July, alongside the Government’s announcement of a pause in the use of sling/tape to treat stress urinary incontinence and vaginally inserted mesh to treat prolapse, NHS England and NHS Improvement wrote to provider Chief Executives and Medical Directors, advising on implementation of the pause through a high vigilance programme of restriction. It was advised that, for the majority of patients, a delay until the high vigilance programme ceased would be the preferred option. This information is in the public domain and available on the NHS Improvement website at the following link:

https://i.emlfiles4.com/cmpdoc/9/7/2/8/1/1/files/47633_mesh-letter-to-acute-ceos-and-mds.pdf

A Clinical Advisory Group has been formed, with subject matter expert members representing NHS England, British Society of Urogynaecology and British Association of Urological Surgeons. The Clinical Advisory Group is developing clinical recommendations for implementation following the initial advice given to providers. NHS England will ensure that these clinical recommendations are communicated to providers once they are agreed.