Women in the UK were told a pelvic mesh sling was a safe, 15 minute fix for incontinence or prolapse. Thousands were left with life-changing injuries, and many spent years being told the pain was in their heads. This film follows the women fighting for recognition and redress, and asks how the device companies behind mesh walked away while patients were left to carry the cost.

In the film: Kath Sansom, founder of Sling the Mesh, the UK’s largest mesh support network. Gail, who lives with mesh complications. Dr Wael Agur, consultant urogynaecologist, Glasgow. Professor Carl Heneghan, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford, whose advisory work in mesh litigation is declared in the film.

The facts behind the film

The use of vaginal mesh for stress urinary incontinence has been paused in the UK since 2018 under a high vigilance restriction. It has not been banned.

In 2020, the Cumberlege Review, First Do No Harm, found that women’s reports of harm were dismissed for years.

In 2024, the Hughes Report recommended a redress scheme for women harmed by mesh. The government has still not delivered one.

In October 2026, the film was raised in the House of Commons, and MAZE screened it at Portcullis House for MPs with Sling the Mesh.

If you have been affected, see our Take Action page for support through Sling the Mesh, NHS specialist mesh centres, and how to report complications to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

Questions this film answers

What is the pelvic mesh scandal? From the late 1990s, polypropylene mesh implants were widely used to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. For some women the mesh cut into tissue and nerves, causing chronic pain, infection and loss of mobility. Reports of harm were dismissed for years, and the 2020 Cumberlege Review concluded the system failed to listen to women.

Is vaginal mesh banned in the UK? No. Its use for stress urinary incontinence has been paused since 2018 under a high vigilance restriction, meaning it should only be used when no alternative exists and under strict conditions. It is suspended, not banned.

Is there a documentary about the mesh scandal? Yes. The Medical Mesh Scandal Ruining Women’s Lives is a 15 minute documentary by MAZE, a channel of female filmmakers, released in October 2026. It is free to watch on YouTube.

What is Sling the Mesh? A UK support network and registered charity for people harmed by surgical mesh, founded by Kath Sansom in 2015. It campaigns for redress and funds research.

What is the Hughes Report? A 2024 report by the Patient Safety Commissioner recommending financial redress for women harmed by pelvic mesh and by sodium valproate. The recommended scheme has not yet been delivered.