The Director-General of Health is recommending a temporary ban on the use of surgical mesh to treat urinary incontinence.
This comes after years of campaigning by patients who have suffered painful consequences as a result of the procedure.
The ministry is supporting a "pause" on the practice until better training and consent guidelines are put in place.
Manatū Hauora's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Joe Bourne, sits on a Ministry-led roundtable that has been investigating the issue.
Bourn spoke to Corin Dann.