Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 24 November 2021
I guess that that is implicit in what I have just said, because there is a gap. The committee has not specified what we think the date should be, but we have asked the Government to look at it again, just in case there are any women caught in that gap. I take the member’s point.
The committee recognises that much of the detail is due to be set out in the scheme itself rather than in the bill. Our report highlights areas where we consider that a flexible approach is needed to ensure that the spirit of fairness is achieved, including how and what costs will be reimbursed, what evidence will be required and who can apply. We hope to see that reflected in the final scheme.
As a Parliament, we also want to ensure that we are given appropriate opportunities to scrutinise the details of the scheme before it comes into force. I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for committing to provide Parliament with a draft version of the scheme prior to stage 2. My committee will want to look at the details of that draft and ensure that they reflect the stated objectives of the bill and the underlying principle of fairness. We realise that that is not something that the Government is compelled to do by parliamentary process, so we appreciate the extra level of scrutiny that is being offered to us.
We have also highlighted areas where we would like to see further clarity for the women concerned and the scheme administrators. The process of applying for reimbursement should not cause additional stress and anxiety for those who are either applying to or managing the scheme.
Although the bill is not about the specialist mesh removal services or referral pathways that are currently in place or under development in Scotland, it is inextricably linked to them. We have heard that there is still a long way to go to rebuild faith and trust between NHS Scotland and the women who have been affected. We would like to see public campaigns to publicise both the reimbursement scheme that the bill will create and the complex mesh national surgical service. The committee plans to take an active interest in both of those aspects as we move forward.
In conclusion, the committee supports the general principles of the bill. It is a necessary and important step in ensuring fairness for women who have been affected by transvaginal mesh and addressing the breakdown in trust that they have experienced during their treatment by NHS Scotland.
We are keen to ensure that the bill progresses through Parliament quickly so that the women can be reimbursed as soon as possible. I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for providing such a quick response to the committee’s stage 1 report. We look forward to seeing at stage 2 the further improvements to the bill that are set out in that response, which reflect the committee’s key recommendations.
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