Linda Millband, head of clinical negligence at Thompsons Solicitors - which is supporting more than 400 people with surgical mesh claims – comments on the response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review published by the government yesterday afternoon:

“The government has acknowledged before that the system failed and has apologised but that doesn’t help families across the UK having to come to terms with the life-changing pain caused by mesh.

“It is noticeable that apart from the appointment of a patient safety commissioner, a review of the MHRA and an implant database, the government has either shied away from the other six recommendations or attempted to kick them into the long grass.

“There is to be no independent redress agency or task force to implement the government response, no separate scheme for the interventions they have apologised for, only a partial setting up of specialist centres, and a minefield opened on what is a ‘relevant interest’ of a consultant - does that include their share options in a private health provider?

“This is a yes from the government to things that can potentially be used to give the NHS a kicking, but a clear dismissal of anything that challenges or exposes consultants and private health providers – or in short, the government saying ‘business as usual’.”