Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the evidential basis was for the omission of rectopexy mesh from the specialist removal guidelines for the proposed specialised mesh removal centres.
The NHS England specialised mesh removal centres were introduced in response to the recommendations set out in the Mesh Oversight Group Report, published in 2017. The centres are for women with complications resulting from mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse. These services are specifically linked to specialised gynaecological treatment.
The main reason to perform a rectopexy is to correct and repair a rectal prolapse which is therefore outside the scope of the services that the specialised mesh removal centres can offer.