Summary
In August 2023 the Director-General of Health recommended a time-limited pause on the use of surgical mesh for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
When the pause was announced it was recognised, based on international experience, that there would be a need for a high-vigilance guideline for non-mesh SUI procedures. The guideline would be used to mitigate and manage any risks while the pause is in place, and there may be a shift to non-mesh SUI procedures.
At the request of the Surgical Mesh Roundtable (SMRT), Manatū Hauora has led a cross-sector consultation on the development of the attached high vigilance guidelines. These guidelines have seen constructive and collaborative input from representatives of Māori Health Authority, Health New Zealand, Health Quality and Safety Commission, Health and Disability Commission, consumers, the surgical colleges (RACS and RANZCOG) and the NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association.
It is the expectation of the SMRT that these guidelines should be implemented in all facilities where SUI procedures are undertaken.