Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the context of treatment of complications from pelvic mesh implant, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Board requirement that an Extra Contractual Referral is approved and signed by the surgeon responsible for the original mesh implantation on (a) the emotional well-being of the patient making the request, (b) the likelihood of approval and (c) time taken to make a decision on an approval.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made no assessment on this matter. The treatment of complications from pelvic mesh implants for patients in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Department of Health and the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Board.

In the absence of an Executive, the Secretary of State has passed legislation that clarifies the powers for Northern Ireland Departments to maintain delivery of public services.

The Government’s immediate priority remains facilitating the restoration of a fully functioning Executive that can progress long-term solutions to transform healthcare in Northern Ireland.