Financial Redress Scheme for Mesh
We are delighted with the review published today highlighting the need for a Financial Redress Scheme for Mesh. The Hughes Report ‘Options for redress for those harmed by valporate and pelvic mesh’.
The Report highlights that there are two potential options for the overall format of any financial scheme:
–a single stage scheme
–a two-stage scheme formed of an Interim Scheme and Main Scheme
We support the Hughes Report in recommending proceeding with a two-stage scheme. This will provide quicker financial redress to patients and will give the government greater evidence on the size of the population harmed before they launch the Main Scheme. Responses to the patient engagement survey also supported this approach.
Pelvic mesh caused harm to two distinct groups of individuals: those ‘directly’ harmed and those ‘indirectly’ harmed. Those indirectly harmed is harder and requires further engagement with patients as it could include partners, children and parents who shouldered the burden of care and financial support. We strongly support including them within the Main Scheme.
We also support the need for the deceased’s estates of those harmed to apply for redress. Too often victims of mesh have passed away without obtaining financial redress that they deserved.
It is important that both NHS and private treatment should be covered by the Interim Scheme and Main Scheme.
Handley Law has acted for a large number of women affected by mesh and supports any scheme for redress which removes the adversarial approach to litigation. This should be a scheme of ex-gratia payments based on medical records and impact statements.
Dr Handley stated “This report has been a long time coming and I hope that the Government does not delay in implementing the scheme. We are here to support women with the scheme so that they can maximise the awards for the pain, hurt and lifelong effect that mesh has had”.
Call us today
If you have had mesh complications then we are here to help. Get in touch with Dr Victoria Handley today. Don’t suffer in silence. Call FREE on 0800 470 2009 or email vhandley@handleylaw.co.uk