A positive step after ‘greatest health scandal of our times’ – leader comment

The Scottish Government’s decision to pay women who suffered health problems as a result of transvaginal mesh implact £1,000 each is welcome,

Nicola Sturgeon issued a formal apology on behalf of the Scottish Government to victims of transvaginal mesh implants (PIcture: Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA Wire)

It has been described as the “greatest health scandal of our times”. Thousands of women were given plastic transvaginal mesh implants designed to treat a number of conditions, which then began to fall apart inside them, leaving many in agony.

Now, after years of campaigning, the Scottish Government has agreed that women who suffered health problems will each receive a £1,000 payment. This follows a formal apology issued by Nicola Sturgeon and also the 2018 decision to stop carrying out any more such operations.

While the money is hardly sufficient recompense for those worst affected – the Government said it was not designed to be “compensation for any perceived wrongdoing by the NHS” – it is a welcome recognition of the suffering caused by something that was supposed to improve people’s health but ended up causing significant, and in some cases, life-altering harm.

There are many lessons to be learned from this appalling situation, but surely one is that we must get better at recognising problems when they occur and taking swift action to address them.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director