For many women suffering the distressing effects of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP), surgical procedures using vaginal mesh devices have provided an effective form of treatment which can be far less invasive than alternative surgical procedures. However, the safety and efficacy of surgery for SUI and POP using mesh devices has been questioned by a community of patients and clinicians.

NHS England set up the Mesh Working Group to address these concerns. The Working Group published its Interim Report in 2015 which sets out recommendations to optimise care for women undergoing treatment for SUI and POP.

During 2016/17 the Mesh Oversight Group ensured that those recommendations were implemented working alongside National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), British Society of Urogynaecology (BSUG), Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health (DH) and of course our patient members. The final mesh report summarises the actions that have been taken to fulfil those recommendations. The report also summarises the recent research about vaginal mesh implants and the development of two comprehensive patient information leaflets:

• Surgical Procedures for Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in Women
• Synthetic Vaginal Mesh Tape Procedure for the Surgical Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women

Health professionals should continue to refer to the NICE guideline for stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.