The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with other health sector agencies, is continuing to progress work on the 19 actions agreed in the report Hearing and Responding to the Stories of Survivors of Surgical Mesh published in December 2019.
Progress since the previous update
16 of the 19 actions are considered 'completed' or 'implemented'; this means that established systems and processes are in place to ensure that the action is embedded as part of normal practice and, where necessary, there is on-going monitoring.
The actions that are still in progress are:
- Action 10: multidisciplinary education programme
- Action 18: regulation of mesh in New Zealand
- Action 19: support a collaborative safety system in New Zealand through Health Quality and Safety Commission's (HQSC) System Safety Strategy.
Action 18 has now been moved back into 'in progress' rather than 'completed'.
Action 18
The Ministry of Health and Medsafe will support the Government in modernising the regulation of medical devices in New Zealand, including the development of new legislation to improve device safety.
Status: In progress
This action was marked as 'in progress' (from completed) in February 2026 due to the repeal of the Therapeutic Products Act. The status of medical device regulation, via the Medical Products Bill, will be monitored by the Ministry of Health.
Safety conditions and the mesh registry
In August 2023, the Surgical Mesh Roundtable provided advice to the Director-General of Health that the use of surgical mesh for stress urinary incontinence should be paused due to on-going safety concerns. Four key safety conditions were recommended before consideration can be given to lifting the pause. These are:
- Mandatory credentialling of clinicians under the National Credentialling Framework
- Structured informed consent using a patient decision aid
- Patient case discussion at a multi-disciplinary meeting (MDMs)
- Establishment of a mesh registry for female pelvic floor procedures involving mesh.
Three of these safety steps have been completed. The fourth safety condition - the establishment of a national mesh registry - is currently underway, led by Health New Zealand. Once all four are in place, the Surgical Mesh Roundtable will consider whether sufficient safety conditions exist to allow the pause to be lifted.
