Mesh victims still waiting for government compensation a year on

Dr Hughes said: “It is very disappointing that women who have suffered so much harm are still waiting for redress.

“They need redress now and the government must act immediately.”

Pelvic mesh was considered the gold-standard treatment for incontinence and prolapse in women for many years, to give weak or damaged tissue extra support.

But the net-like implant can erode and harden, cutting through tissue and causing serious pain.

The Hughes report also called on government to act quickly to help victims of another treatment scandal, involving an epilepsy medication.

If taken during pregnancy, sodium valproate can cause major birth defects – but for decades, women were not properly warned about the risks.

An estimated 20,000 children were exposed to the drug in the womb – and many now live with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism.