The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with other health sector agencies, is continuing to progress work on the actions agreed in the report Hearing and Responding to the Stories of Survivors of Surgical Mesh published in December 2019.
Progress since the previous update
Recommendation 8
Specialist multi-disciplinary centre(s) are required. A group will meet in January 2020 to advise the number of specialist centres required to ensure equity of access, the model of care and team required. This may be informed by learning from successful models elsewhere.
Status: In progress
In January 2023 a team of 54 stakeholders from a wide range of discipline, agencies and services, including six mesh injured consumer advisors undertook to plan and facilitate the operationalisation of the Ministry of Health Model of Care document (2022).
The team continued to meet and work on aspects of the Service until late June 2023.
The New Zealand Female Pelvic Mesh Service opened to referrals in late April 2023, with a northern hub in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and southern hub in Ōtautahi (Christchurch).
The Service opened with Health Navigators, specialist nurses, service coordinators and surgeons.
As of November 2023, there have been 210 referrals to the service.
The national co-leads and booking and scheduling administrators’ roles are currently being recruited to.
All other foundation roles are in place.
Recommendation 9
Establish a credentialling committee by the end of January 2020 to recommend national standards for individual practitioners and services commencing with urogynaecology procedures. Minimum standards for insertion, renewal, repair and removal surgery and native tissue repair will be included.
Status: In progress
The first round of national credentialling of surgeons against the National Framework, focused on credentialling clinicians for Tier 3 procedures. The first round, including appeal assessments was completed June 2023.
In November 2023, Manatū Hauora opened and received over 70 expressions of interest for the three panel sittings currently planned for 2024 which will see candidates credentialled for Tier 1 and 2 procedures. The current panel sittings are planned for February, May and September 2024. The Credentialling Committee is continuously reviewing credentialling to further strengthen and streamline this process.