Chamber and committees

This does not accurately reflect the Chief Medical Officer’s position. In 2014 the Acting Chief Medical Officer wrote to all Health boards requesting that they consider the suspension of the use of mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. In doing so, the Acting chief Medical Officer asked that, before coming to a decision, Health Boards carefully consider evidence relating to both mesh treatments and its alternatives. The present Chief Medical Officer further wrote to Health boards in 2015 to confirm that the request to suspend procedures remained in place, and also to direct Health Boards to the Patient Information and Consent Leaflet, which notes all alternative treatments in relation to stress urinary incontinence.

The Scottish Government has engaged with ADPs and a range of partners to support and to review the effectiveness of service delivery, reflecting on this and balancing against the overall pressures on the Health budget, in setting the 2017-18 budget.

In 2016-17, NHS boards are expected to maintain spending on drug and alcohol treatment and recovery support services at 2015-16 levels, supplementing the Scottish Governments’ direct allocation from increased board baseline funding as required.

In 2017-18 specific funding of £53.8 million to support Alcohol and Drug Partnership work, will be added to board’s baseline funding and delegated to Integrated Authorities. As in previous years, the position remains that funds provided directly from the Scottish Government budget, sit alongside funds provided from other NHS sources (including NHS baseline funding), statutory partners and the third sector, which collectively makes up the resource package for this important work.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07740 on 17 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Records suggest that there are fewer than five current legal cases involving the use of mesh to treat hernias.

Informed consent and shared decision making are expected prior to any procedure being carried out. The Chief Medical Officer goes into this in more detail in her Realistic Medicine report.

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00514513.pdf.

Scottish Government staff have participated in formal Cross-UK forum meetings with the MHRA, regarding pharmacy and medical device issues, in January 2016, April 2016, July 2016, October 2016 and January 2017. A meeting also took place between Scottish Government officials, Health Facilities Scotland and MHRA in February 2017.

Other ad-hoc meetings involving a range of Scottish Government staff have taken place as required.

Non-mesh treatments include both surgical and non-surgical interventions. Surgical interventions include the use of simple suture repairs or the use of host native tissue.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07740 on 17 March 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Records suggest that there are no active cases or claims relating to non-mesh treatments for stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.

A member of the MHRA has served on the Independent Review, and therefore endorsed the interim report. The report was featured on the MHRA website in October 2015.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-safety-and-efficacy-of-transvaginal-mesh-implants-in-the-treatment-of-stress-urinary-incontinence-and-pelvic-organ-prolapse-in-women.