Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing compensation to patients treated with rectopexy mesh for rectal prolapse as part of its work on redress following the recommendations of the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the Hughes Report, the Government is carefully considering the Patient Safety Commissioner’s (PSC’s) recommendations, including the proposed approaches to redress for those harmed by pelvic mesh. The Hughes Report did not cover patients treated with rectopexy mesh for rectal prolapse. This is because rectal prolapse does not fall within the original definition of Pelvic Organ Prolapse that the PSC and the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review adopted, namely a pelvic organ bulging into the vagina.
However, that is not to dismiss the very real concerns of these patients. We are considering whether rectopexy mesh should be included in the scope of the work on redress, as for example, NHS England has carried out a market engagement event to understand which of its currently commissioned mesh centres would be willing to provide mesh removal surgery for colorectal patients. A decision around which centres will be designated will be made following findings from the audit of existing mesh centres.
This is a complex, cross-Government policy area involving multiple organisations. This work requires coordinated input from several departments, and we will provide a further update in due course. I met with the PSC in December 2025, to discuss progress following the Hughes Report. I have subsequently written to Dr Hughes about the actions we are undertaking to ensure service-level interventions are embedded in the National Health Service specific to making a real-life impact on those affected by pelvic mesh and valproate.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to inform families of his plans for (a) interim and (b) main payment compensation before the second anniversary of the publication of the Hughes Report.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh.
This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. Since taking up my post, I have met with the patient safety commissioner to discuss her recommendations and discussed how we may respond in the near term to recommendations regarding improving the outcomes and lives of people harmed by Valproate and Pelvic mesh. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has held recent discussions with the Scottish Government on the inclusion of data from NHS Scotland in the UK Pelvic Floor Registry; and what his expected timescale is for full UK-wide data integration.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As a Government department, the Department of Health and Social Care engages constructively and works collaboratively with the devolved administrations on areas of shared interest, including information sharing, coordination, and issues that have United Kingdom wide or cross-border implications.
The NHS England Outcomes and Registries Programme invites relevant health professionals from the devolved nations to participate in monthly clinical steering groups across several clinical registries to foster collaboration and alignment of working practices. Wales and Northern Ireland have participated fully in the Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence Clinical Steering Group. Scottish representatives last participated in November 2024, though they continue to be sent minutes of the progress of the NHS England-led Group.
The registry is due to be launched across 50% of English providers in February, with a second wave covering the remaining English providers planned for summer 2026.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide financial support to redress schemes relating to pelvic mesh and valproate proposed by devolved governments.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report. To progress this, I met with the patient safety commissioner late last year and we continue to work closely together.
Should a decision be made for any United Kingdom-wide scheme, appropriate steps would also be taken to engage across the UK at the earliest opportunity. I am also in contact with ministers within the devolved administrations, with engagement between officials across the UK occurring regularly.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent engagement his Department has had with the devolved Administrations in relation to the recommendations of The Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024; and whether any Ministerial-level discussions are planned with the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While health is predominantly devolved, the Department holds some reserved functions and working together across the United Kingdom on health and social care is ingrained in the values of our National Health Service and social care sector.
The Patient Safety Commissioner’s report covered England-only, however, any response by the Government to the recommendations of the Hughes Report in England will likely have implications for the devolved administrations and their constituents. Engagement between officials across the UK occurs regularly and during an Inter-Ministerial Group meeting on 11 December 2025, the Hughes report was discussed and ministers across the four nations agreed to meet in January 2026 for further engagement.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS provision for complex mesh removal surgery; and what steps he is taking to ensure patients can access specialists with required expertise.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are nine specialist mesh centres in operation across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management.
The specialised services for service users with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence, vaginal, or internal and external rectal prolapse specification published by NHS England sets out the requirement for an MDT approach to mesh services and suggests membership could include a psychologist. The specification also details that psychology services should be co-located or available to the mesh MDT.
The Department has commissioned, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, a £1.56 million study to develop patient reported outcome measures (PROM) for prolapse, incontinence, and mesh complication surgery. Longer term, the PROM will be integrated into the pelvic floor registry which monitors and improves the safety of mesh patients. It records the surgical mesh implants, and related medical devices, given to patients, and the organisations and surgeons that have carried out the procedures.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of unresolved mesh complications on the mental health of women impacted; and what support is available for those women.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are nine specialist mesh centres in operation across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management.
The specialised services for service users with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence, vaginal, or internal and external rectal prolapse specification published by NHS England sets out the requirement for an MDT approach to mesh services and suggests membership could include a psychologist. The specification also details that psychology services should be co-located or available to the mesh MDT.
The Department has commissioned, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, a £1.56 million study to develop patient reported outcome measures (PROM) for prolapse, incontinence, and mesh complication surgery. Longer term, the PROM will be integrated into the pelvic floor registry which monitors and improves the safety of mesh patients. It records the surgical mesh implants, and related medical devices, given to patients, and the organisations and surgeons that have carried out the procedures.
Asked by: Alex Baker (Labour - Aldershot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the Hughes Report entitled Options Options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh, published on 7 February 2024.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. I have met the Patient Safety Commissioner this month to work up the Department’s plans to address her recommendations, and the Government will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on implementing the recommendations of the First Do No Harm report; and if he will publish an updated timetable for delivery of those recommendations.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Seven of the nine recommendations made in the First Do No Harm report have been previously accepted in full, in part, or in principle. Four of these have been successfully implemented, including appointing Professor Henrietta Hughes as the first ever Patient Safety Commissioner in England in respect of medicines and medical devices, and establishing nine specialist mesh centres, which are in operation across England.
Whilst the Government has no plans to publish a timetable, progress is ongoing in respect of the remaining recommendations. For example, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has undergone an ambitious organisation-wide transformation to ensure it becomes a progressive and responsive patient-focussed regulator of medical products, for recommendation six, the Medical Devices and Outcomes Registry is now live and healthcare providers are required to contribute data, for recommendation seven, and regarding mandatory reporting of payments for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, the Government intends to publish its response to a public consultation on this topic later this month, for recommendation eight.
Work is also ongoing across the Government to consider the recommendations in the Hughes Report, which looked into, and provided advice on, redress for those affected by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide redress for mesh and sodium valproate families.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report. I will also be meeting the Patient Safety Commissioner in due course.