A new national mesh removal service must not be staffed by the same surgeons who carried out original implants, according to an MSP who has been at the forefront of campaigning for victims.

Scottish Labour’s Neil Findlay says that any service established in Scotland “must carry the confidence of mesh patients”.

“We cannot have these services staffed by the very same surgeons who carried out mesh implants so enthusiastically in the past which resulted in this scandal,” he said.

Last week the Scottish Government announced a national service would begin treating women affected by mesh implants from next month.

A multi-disciplinary team is being established within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to provide complex mesh removal surgery as well as psychological, psychosexual and other forms of support.

Mr Findlay added: “Mesh patients will be watching very closely - they will not use a service that is headed up by the surgeons who implanted them.”

Mesh was one area in which a recent medicines and medical devices safety review said ‘wide ranging and radical’ changes were needed.

The report’s author Baroness Cumberlege said many women contacted as part of the review had had their whole lives “turned upside down” by their treatment and experienced “acute suffering”.

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