New pelvic health co-ordinators for Wales

20 Dec 2018 04:01 PM

A network of pelvic health and well-being co-ordinators is to be created across Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s response to the vaginal mesh and tape review.

The coordinators will work with a national pathway manager to implement improvements to pelvic health across Wales. 

The work is led by the Women’s Health Implementation Group (WHIG), set-up by the Welsh Government who have provided £1m a year for its work. The group have decided that the first year’s funding will be spent on establishing a number of key posts to deliver some of the recommendations of the vaginal mesh and tape review.

Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, yesterday said: 

“The WHIG has listened to concerns from the Mesh Survivors Group and has decided to appoint a national pathway manager to deliver the recommendations of the vaginal mesh and tape review. This will lead to the creation of a network of Pelvic Health and Well-being Coordinators within each health board. They will have a clinical background from an appropriate discipline, e.g. physiotherapy or pain management and will work with the national lead to deliver the required changes to local services.

“The group is also taking advice from patients and clinicians on how to achieve the consistent provision of translabial scans where they are appropriate across Wales.

“The group will now consider the recommendations from the report into endometriosis services in Wales produced by the Endometriosis Task and Finish Group.”

The WHIG, chaired by Tracy Myhill, CEO of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, was established in May 2018 to oversee specific areas of women’s health requiring urgent attention and improvement.