A MESH implant survivor and campaigner has been given new hope after Nicola Sturgeon agreed to meet with her following the latest turn of events in the NHS scandal.

Elaine Holmes, 55, was left devastated after leading surgeon Dr Dionysios Veronikis withdrew his offer to come from the US to Scotland to perform surgery on sufferers after claims of a conspiracy against him by NHS bosses.

The surgeon had been set to travel to Scotland to perform surgery after offering his services to remove vaginal mesh implants that have left hundreds of Scots women debilitated.

It’s alleged “there is a professional and institutional campaign to frustrate Dr Veronikis’ involvement” according to MSP Jackson Carlaw who spoke at First Minister’s Questions.

Long-suffering Elaine, a campaigner for Scottish Mesh Survivors, said she is shocked at how Dr Veronikis has been treated.

Elaine, from Newton Mearns, told the Barrhead News: “The way he was apparently treated by Scotland’s lead clinicians who ignored him is shocking and embarrassing, and hopefully an intervention can have these issues ironed out.”

She added: “I’m one of the women who has been written off and told there’s nothing they can do. I’m likely to lose my left leg. I rely on a wheelchair as well as a stairlift and a bath lift. My husband took early retirement to help me.

“Then Dr Veronikis gave us hope, and to have that taken away is so cruel. And to think, if there’s meddling going on behind the scenes it’s shocking.

“We’ve had women in tears and some suicidal. They believe he is the best and only hope for many of us.”

Mr Carlaw pressed Nicola Sturgeon on the issue, saying leading mesh expert Dr Wael Agur had told him how “surgeons here felt deeply threatened by Dr Veronikis’ offer to visit Scotland”.

The First Minster has now agreed to meet Elaine. “I’m fortunate Jackson is my MSP,” she said. “We’re so grateful we’re going to be meeting with Nicola Surgeon. We felt there was progress made in Parliament.

“When we meet with the First Minister we hope it’s productive. We hope this is going to be a new chapter.

“This is the last chance for many of us who have been written off by the NHS. We need to get to the bottom of this. But it has to come from the top.”