Two new studies from Oxford University show how women with “quick fix” pelvic mesh cost the NHS more money in the long term because they require treatment for a wide range of new onset of complications and health conditions.

This study shows that women who had mesh surgery for stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse had higher administrative consultation rates. Caring for women with mesh places a higher administrative burden – and therefore higher cost to care – on GPs and administrators. There may be potential to reduce this workload through a more streamlined care pathway.

In this study looking at the impact of vaginal mesh on pain clinic and psychological referrals, as well as anti-inflammatory testing and scans, the results suggest a higher burden of care needed in women with incontinence or prolapse mesh surgery, and that these women may require ongoing follow-up in the primary care setting / via their GP surgery.

The study looked at a large group of women in primary care. The rates of psychological referrals and CT scans were lower in women with incontinence mesh surgery, but this was offset by higher rates of CRP testing in women with both incontinence and prolapse mesh, also higher rates of urine analysis testing in women with prolapse mesh, referrals for MRI scans in women with incontinence mesh and referrals for pain clinics for women with prolapse mesh.

It shows that women with mesh surgery are likely to require continuing follow-up in the primary care setting at their GP surgery.

The two new studies were published in September 2024 and were written by Profesor Carl Heneghan and Emily McFadden