Supporting pelvic mesh injuries

Lodge a treatment injury claim

We may cover pelvic surgical mesh injuries that result from treatment, or from the failure to provide clinically indicated treatment. 

Lodge a claim if you believe your patient’s symptoms may be related to pelvic mesh and meet the criteria for a treatment injury. 

To lodge a claim, submit: 

• an ACC45, and 
• a Treatment Injury Claim Form (ACC2152), along with all relevant clinical information. 

We’ll use information from the patient’s current and previous treating providers to help inform our cover decision. 

Treatment injury form (ACC2152) (DOC 183 KB)

Reassessment of declined surgical mesh claims

Most previously declined surgical mesh claims have now been reassessed. However, reassessment may still be appropriate in some cases. 

A patient may be eligible for reassessment if: 

• their surgical mesh claim was declined before 28 October 2020, and 
• the decision was not made using current medical evidence and cover guidance. 

We encourage providers to discuss reassessment with patients where it may be clinically appropriate. 

We are not proactively contacting people with declined claims, as this may cause further distress. Instead, information about reassessment remains available through: 

• advocacy groups 
• health professionals 
• the ACC website 
• other public channels. 

The New Zealand Female Pelvic Mesh Service

Te Whatu Ora provides the New Zealand Female Pelvic Mesh Service. This is a national, multidisciplinary service that supports women affected by pelvic surgical mesh injuries. 

The service was designed in partnership with mesh‑injured consumers, Māori and Pacific health representatives, and medical professionals, and in collaboration with ACC. 

Learn more about this Te Whatu Ora service

Referring a patient 

You can refer a patient to the service by submitting the digital FPMS referral form through your practice management system. 

If the referral is accepted, the service will develop an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation pathway for the patient. 

Where we have accepted cover, pathway information may be used to inform a funded treatment plan delivered through existing providers. 

We may also provide additional support, such as: 

• weekly compensation (where eligibility criteria are met) 
• home and community support services. 

If we decline cover, patients may still be eligible for care and support through the New Zealand Female Pelvic Mesh Service.