Question reference: S6W-23616
- Date lodged: 6 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 21 September 2023 from the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health to Michael Marra, how many of the 142 women who were waiting for urethral bulking, fascial sling repair or colposuspension have now undergone the procedure for which they were waiting.
Answer
Across NHS Scotland a total of 89 patients have been treated for fascial sling repair, urethra bulking or colposuspension since this summer. This excludes patients from NHS Tayside who have been treated via independent sector support. Treatment has been booked for 38 patients in December and January, and further patients are currently in the pre-assessment stage and will be offered a date early in the new year.
As the member will know, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery’s (CfSD) National Elective Coordination Unit (NECU) is supporting a nationally coordinated campaign to support treatment of these patients, which was intended to conclude by November 2023. However, due to a number of complexities this has progressed more slowly than expected.
Programmed work locally within Health Boards is often booked 6-8 weeks in advance, and as such a lead in time for treatment options was longer than initially anticipated. This must also be balanced with clinical prioritisation, with Health Boards continuing to prioritise urgent and suspected cancer pathways within this specialty and subspecialty area.
Each of the three procedures identified also requires enhanced governance processes before patients are identified, particularly when patients are moving from their board of residence, including high vigilance scrutiny checklists to support a person-centred approach. To support a clinically safe and governed pathway, several cross board clinical engagement meetings were required to agree the governance pathway.
A small number of patients have also declined the offer of treatment outwith their local board area.
We will continue to work with Health Boards and NECU to ensure all patients receive treatment as soon as possible.