The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has ‘no plans currently’ to do an audit/questionnaire for hernia mesh patients, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
Earlier this week a ‘hard-hitting’ review uncovered a systemic failure to collect mesh patient data and a failure to establish rates of complications.
It comes as an Isle of Wight Radio investigation revealed dozens of Islanders have been suffering as a result of mesh surgery.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has previously apologised for its ‘failure in care’ towards one patient, Sally, who underwent a hernia mesh operation two years ago and has been left ‘immobile’.
Isle of Wight Radio’s FOI asked ‘when’ the Isle of Wight NHS Trust will provide a hernia repair audit /questionnaire for patients?
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust says it ‘has no plans currently to do an audit/questionnaire’.
An audit or questionnaire would identify any issues as a result of mesh procedures so patients can have their voices heard by the Trust.
One mesh patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Isle of Wight Radio:
'There needs to be an audit as soon as possible, St Marys cannot afford to sit on their hands now and play the recommendations waiting game'
'That it has taken so long and caused so much suffering because people’s, dare I say it, women’s concerns have just been dismissed.'
Harrowing accounts of 700 women who are suffering as a result of the operation have been heard by the chair of a Government review, Baroness Julia Cumberlege, who said she would ‘take to the grave’ some of the stories she heard.
The report stops short of banning the use of mesh and says it should only happen in specialist centres, calling for more support for those who have suffered as a result.
The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock has since apologised to those affected.
He said:
‘I want to issue on behalf of the NHS and the whole healthcare system a full apology to show who have suffered and their families and for the time it has taken to get their voices heard, now they have been heard it is very important we learn from this report.’
The Island’s MP Bob Seely, who previously backed the Island’s mesh campaign said he would write to Maggie Oldham, Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, to make sure ‘we are looking after those who have suffered complications’.
We’ve asked the Isle of Wight NHS Trust for a comment.
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