Surgical mesh
Find out about the restorative approach to addressing the surgical mesh issue.
Restorative practice and surgical mesh
The restorative process was co-designed in 2019 by the Ministry of Health, advocacy group Mesh Down Under, the Diana Unwin Chair in Restorative Justice at the time (Professor Chris Marshall), and researchers and facilitators from Te Ngāpara Centre for Restorative Practice.
Learnings from this process could be used to inform reparatiion and prevent future harm. It may be the first time a restorative approach has been applied to a national healthcare issue in New Zealand or anywhere in the world.
Healing and learning from harm
We made a short film in partnership with the Health Quality Safety Commission and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
Watch videoAbout the restorative process
The restorative process was co-designed in 2019 by the Ministry of Health, advocacy group Mesh Down Under, and researchers and facilitators from Te Ngāpara Centre for Restorative Practice at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Learnings from this process could be used to inform reparative action and prevent future harm. It may be the first time a restorative approach has been applied to a national healthcare issue in New Zealand or anywhere in the world.
Three phases
A restorative approach to surgical mesh harm was delivered in three phases from July to December 2019. A description of each phase can be found in the project report on the Ministry of Health website: Hearing and Responding to the Stories of Survivors of Surgical Mesh.
Experienced restorative practitioners supported participants during each phase of the project. The approach was adapted in response to the emergent needs of individuals, groups and responsible parties.
Evaluating the restorative process
The Ministry of Health published an evaluation of a restorative process designed to listen to, understand, and address the harms that New Zealanders suffered from surgical mesh use.
The report is titled ‘Healing after Harm: An evaluation of a restorative approach for addressing harm from surgical mesh, Kia ora te tangata: He arotakenga i te whakahaumanu'. It was commissioned from a team of researchers at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s Te Ngāpara Centre for Restorative Practice.
The research evaluated the experiences of 230 people who took part in the restorative process, to find out if the project objectives were met and if a restorative approach could be used in other health contexts.
The evaluation determined that a restorative approach met substantive, psychological, and procedural needs during the Listening and Understanding phase of the project. Most participants said their dignity was preserved, their experience was validated, and their communications were respectful.
The massive extent of harm and injury after surgical mesh procedures was powerfully communicated. This inspired the responsible parties to collaborate and undertake actions for repair and prevention.
However, many consumers were largely unaware of progress on the 19 actions that resulted from the Planning and Acting phase of the project and were unsure if their needs would be met in the future.
The report concludes that restorative approaches are potentially transferable to other health contexts, if the critical success factors are met. Healing after harm is possible when approached within a relational framework. Which should be embedded alongside existing regulatory structures, policies, and procedural responses.
Media
Articles about the restorative process for surgical mesh damage and its evaluation.