{"id":282003,"date":"2025-07-22T08:13:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/282003\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T08:13:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:13:11","slug":"i-was-maimed-by-the-nhs-and-left-to-wait-this-is-the-reality-for-mesh-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/282003\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I was maimed by the NHS and left to wait – this is the reality for mesh victims’"},"content":{"rendered":"

A woman harmed by a vaginal mesh implant has described her wait for follow-up surgery as \u201cdisgusting\u201d \u2013 claiming she has been \u201cmaimed\u201d by the NHS.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nancy Honeyball, from Dunoon, had the implant fitted in 2010 due to bladder problems and says she has been \u201cplagued\u201d with complications ever since.<\/p>\n

She is among many mesh-injured women who say they are still being failed by the Scottish Government.<\/p>\n

Nancy travelled to Missouri in the US for removal surgery with renowned mesh specialist Dr Dionysios Veronikis in March 2024 under a scheme funded by the Scottish Government. She had hoped the operation would finally be the end of her ordeal.<\/p>\n

She said Dr Veronikis was \u201cshocked\u201d to learn of her experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis words were \u2018if that had happened in America, there would be a lawsuit,’\u201d Nancy told STV News.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s had a look as a professional and been quite upset at how they\u2019ve been left. He looked at me and he said an animal would be treated better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m grateful I managed to get on the list to go to America, but I wouldn\u2019t go as far as to say \u2018thank you very much.\u2019 The NHS maimed me \u2013 and thousands of others \u2013 all to save money. It\u2019s always been profit over health, and it\u2019s wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t trust the surgeons in Scotland \u2013 that\u2019s why I fought to go to the USA.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\/STV News<\/p>\n

In the year since her operation, Nancy said she had no check-ups or calls from the NHS.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cEven Dr Veronikis has been in touch numerous times to check how I am, but nobody from the NHS in Scotland has. I feel, after the way I was treated in Glasgow, that I\u2019m blacklisted, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m having to fight so hard to get things done. It\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nancy underwent her first surgery to remove a transvaginal mesh implant in London in 2017, but it was unsuccessful and failed to resolve her chronic pain.<\/p>\n

In 2019, she had a second surgery in England to remove the mesh arms. Despite making it clear that she did not want any more plastic implanted, Nancy was horrified to discover that plastic sutures had been used.<\/p>\n

Her complaint about this was upheld by the General Medical Council in October 2024. The surgeon involved was suspended for nine months.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve been plagued by this for 15 years\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Veronikis successfully removed Nancy\u2019s remaining mesh in March 2024, but was unable to take out the sutures due to limits in the Scottish Government\u2019s contract, which covered only mesh removal, not full pelvic repair.<\/p>\n

Back in Scotland, Nancy was referred to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock. However, she received a letter from NHS Ayrshire & Arran informing her she would face a 92-week wait for further treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a total meltdown. I had a panic attack.. Because it\u2019s just too much. Why should a patient have to chase and chase follow\u2011ups? It\u2019s ridiculous.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople might think, \u2018who do you think you are? Everyone else has to wait.\u2019 When you\u2019ve waited and fought for nearly 15 years \u2013 that\u2019s how long I\u2019ve been plagued by this \u2013 I wish I could turn the clock back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019d seen the device they use, I\u2019d never have gone with anything. I\u2019d say \u2018no thank you \u2013 I\u2019ll stay how I am.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you trust the doctors. We were told it\u2019s a gold standard operation, and you\u2019d be in and out the same day. It would change your life forever. It certainly did; it changed my life for the worse, not the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over two decades, more than 20,000 women in Scotland had transvaginal mesh implants to treat post-childbirth conditions, like incontinence and prolapse.<\/p>\n

Its use was stopped in 2014 after hundreds of women were left with painful, life-altering complications.<\/p>\n

In 2021, then health secretary Humza Yousaf, announced contracts for mesh patients to undergo removal surgery from Dr Veronikis in Missouri or Spire Health Care in Bristol through the National Mesh Removal Referral Pathway.<\/p>\n

Figures show that 64 patients have now travelled to independent providers in England or the United States for mesh removal surgery, at a cost of around \u00a32m to the Scottish Government.<\/p>\n

Since April 2020, 339 patients have been referred to the Complex Mesh Surgical Service in Glasgow and 161 have undergone surgery.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said that while some of the remaining patients may still be undergoing assessment, the majority are either receiving conservative (non-surgical) treatment, have opted not to proceed with surgery, or were found not to require it.<\/p>\n

A separate \u00a31m fund was set up to offer women a one-off payment of \u00a31,000 to help towards the costs associated with emotional or practical support.<\/p>\n

Nancy branded the fund \u201ca slap in the face\u201d and said a full redress scheme is needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many things mesh has affected \u2013 loss of jobs, houses, marriages, relationships. People are left to fend for themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, everything should be covered. The NHS maimed us \u2013 it\u2019s the biggest scandal since Thalidomide and the blood scandal. Nobody has been brought to justice. I don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nancy now has an appointment scheduled for next month, but she remains in pain and emotionally exhausted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a constant rollercoaster, emotions up and down. Some days I totally break down. I\u2019m a strong, independent person \u2013 I\u2019ll be laughing and joking, but it\u2019s just a mask.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople will say, \u2018I don\u2019t know how you\u2019re still standing\u2019 \u2013 but I\u2019ve got to keep fighting. Even though I just want to give up. I keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\/STV News<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s health minister Jenni Minto said she has been working closely with Scottish Government teams to improve support and aftercare for those affected.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt\u2019s important to recognise the Scottish Government has supported women to allow them to get their mesh removed. I do appreciate that some women have not had the right support once that has happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect the local health boards to take that responsibility and look after women. Because after having had that treatment, the best place to continue the support and the ways that they can improve the way they\u2019re living their lives is as locally as possible. I expect local health boards will be doing that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working very closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to ensure that is spread out across health boards so they do recognise the importance of that.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I also think we have to recognise this is quite a complicated situation and, therefore, we need multi-disciplinary teams and the right ones in the right place to be able to support women to heal \u2013 and hopefully return to a better life.\u201d<\/p>\n

NHS Ayrshire & Arran has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

STV News is now on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

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