Question reference: S6W-25891
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 29 February 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11632 by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2022, what recording procedures are in place to ensure that, after referral to the specialist mesh service in Glasgow, all women are informed of the options to seek treatment at an NHS England specialist centre, the Spire Hospital in Bristol, or with Dr Veronikis in the USA, in circumstances when it is agreed that surgery is appropriate.
Answer
Once there is agreement between the patient and her clinicians that removal surgery is the best course of treatment, the decision on where that treatment is carried out, whether it is by the NHS or an independent provider, rests with the patient.
Both NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS National Services Scotland, National Services Division will provide information and assistance to women in whom surgery is being recommended as part of their treatment plan and where they wish to explore alternative options. It is made clear that women can choose to have surgery elsewhere and there is information provided, both online and in hard-copy, about choosing mesh removal surgery with one of the independent surgeons.
It is normal practice to record the content and outcome of any discussion taking place within the contemporaneous, confidential patient record. This includes a note of which leaflets have been provided as part of these discussions.