Motions, questions and answers

As set out in response to S5W-20173 on 21 December 2018, I wrote to the MHRA asking it for evidence that this mesh is safe to use. Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood has also raised these concerns directly with the MHRA, and we are awaiting a substantive response to this from them.
The Chief Medical Officer wrote to Health Boards in order to highlight concerns about the use of surgical mesh in a non-transvaginal setting. Medical Directors were asked to ensure clinical colleagues discuss the use of mesh as part of acquiring informed consent, in line with guidance on that issue and the principles of the Chief Medical officer’s ‘Realistic Medicine’. Furthermore, the Chief Medical Officer has emphasised that all treatment options should be considered and discussed with the patient, including non-operative management and non-mesh surgery.
In addition, Medical Directors, and thus their colleagues, have been reminded of their obligations with regard to medical devices and adverse event reporting. Finally, the Chief Medical Officer also stressed that patients who report complications must be carefully listened to, and their concerns taken seriously. 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 .