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My Path, My Health, My Life – Learning from the experiences of women to plan future mesh services

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 22nd March 2021

The ALLIANCE engagement work contributes to the development of the National Complex Mesh Surgical Service.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) is pleased to publish its report My Path, My Health, My Life – Learning from the experiences of women to plan future mesh services. With this report, the ALLIANCE progresses its independent engagement with women who have experience of complications following mesh surgery. This engagement builds on the My Life, My Experience report published in 2019.

The aim of the engagement process was to hear the views of women on their current experience and involve them in the development of the National Complex Mesh Surgical Service (national service), a specialist surgical service for women with complications of mesh insertion based in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This report brings together the voices of 152 women, who all spoke to their experiences within two focus groups and an online survey.

Women shared their preferences and priorities for the service, with key themes emerging:

  • Assurance of competence and training of surgeons
  • Individual experiences being listened to by professionals
  • Seamless follow up between the national service and local NHS boards
  • Multi-disciplinary and holistic approach
  • Clear patient pathways, at local level and with GPs
  • Co-design of the service
  • Peer support group

Irene Oldfather, the ALLIANCE’s Director of Strategy and Engagement says of the publication:

‘The ALLIANCE is pleased to publish our second report on hearing the voices of Mesh Injured women. Among our recommendations is the setting up of a Stakeholder Group to involve women themselves in future planning. We look forward to continuing to work with mesh injured women to ensure that they have a strong voice and platform on which to take forward their call to action.

The ALLIANCE is very grateful to all women who have participated and who have spoken up to ensure that future experiences are better experiences.’

The full report My Path, My Health, My Life – Learning from the experiences of women to plan future mesh services is available below.

Resources:

My Path, My Health, My Life - Learning from the experiences of women to plan future mesh services
Download PDF Document (6 MB)

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