TL;DR
An independent study with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) shows MUTU System’s profound impact on postpartum care:
- MUTU improves incontinence and prolapse symptoms.
- Patients find MUTU accessible and user-friendly.
- GPs are eager to provide MUTU to their patients.
- Women’s health physiotherapists want to be able to offer it.
- Financial cost savings for the UK’s NHS can empower healthcare professionals to offer MUTU.
We are thrilled to share the official and independent evaluation report showing the impact and value of MUTU within a national healthcare system.
Who funded and carried out the research?
Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (HI KSS) funded and commissioned the research.
The Health Innovation Network (HIN) is the innovation arm of the UK’s National Health Service. Established by NHS England in 2013, the HIN exists to speed adoption and innovation to improve health outcomes. The HI KSS website announcement of the report is here. HI KSS commissioned Unity Insights in 2022 to carry out research to evaluate MUTU’s ability to help women manage conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse (POP), urinary incontinence (UI), and dyspareunia (painful sex). The Unity Insights announcement of the report is here.
What did they study and how?
Unity Insights studied the real-world implementation of MUTU within the UK’s NHS. They used surveys conducted among postpartum patients given MUTU by their GP or at a specialist physiotherapy appointment, alongside a group who had paid for the MUTU programme themselves. They also gathered feedback from GP practices and clinicians involved in the trial.
The surveys included ‘before and after’ feedback from patients about:
- Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse symptoms
- Painful sex and other postpartum symptoms
- Patient confidence in understanding how to correctly perform pelvic floor exercises, as well as knowing when to seek further medical help
What were the results?
The evaluation showed statistically significant improvements in pelvic health symptoms, positive patient feedback and a potential return on investment (for the UK NHS).
Key findings include:
- Marked reduction in incontinence, bladder leaks, prolapse and painful sex symptoms
- 100% of the UK’s NHS GP practice patients reported increased confidence in doing their pelvic floor exercises correctly
- 91% of NHS physiotherapy patients and 66% of the UK’s NHS GP practice patients would recommend MUTU System
Why was this research needed?
Over one in three women experience long-term postpartum conditions which impact their well-being and quality of life. But pelvic health is under-served both by the UK’s NHS support for patients, and in terms of research.
Inadequate access and outcomes are compounded by inequities for black and brown mothers and those in marginalised communities.
Many women do not seek medical help for postpartum issues due to embarrassment, shame, lack of understanding (they think these symptoms are normal or inevitable), language or cultural barriers, or lack of time juggling childcare and other commitments.
Despite promised government funding, the UK’s NHS-provided pelvic health support is woefully inadequate. This was echoed by a recent campaign and open letter from Elvie and other activists for better pelvic floor health support.
MUTU fills this gap for pelvic health support within the UK NHS.
What do the experts say?
“Women’s health innovation at its best! … fantastic evaluation which demonstrated significant benefit for women managing pelvic floor conditions. …This is a great example of what we need to see across the board in how we approach FemTech solutions in the future…”
Dr Maryann Ferreux Chief Medical Officer, Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex
“A brilliant example of how digital can support women’s journeys AND take some of the strain off clinicians. See, the NHS can innovate…now to scale and make available to all the women who need MUTU’s platform to address pelvic strength and urinary incontinence.”
Katherine Church, Women’s health and femtech specialist
“[MUTU has] impacted the lives of so many women in my practice. I am glad that the NHS has clearly identified the value in MUTU’s transformational programme”.
Dr Odinake Nwode, NHS GP and urology clinician
“Great to see long-term equitable patient trials yielding positive health outcomes in underserved significant conditions affecting women…”
Renos Savva, Head of Innovation, Discovery Park
“…a great result for this pilot project, and also highlights a huge unmet need, underserved populations and simple, effective, scalable solution.”
Ben Hulme, Strategy and growth for health innovation
What’s next?
The UK’s NHS decision-makers and commissioners now need to take action.
MUTU has been shown to address both the symptoms and the gap in the current maternity pathway.
Now funding is needed to ensure that GPs, physiotherapists and other primary care providers can offer MUTU to all who would benefit. This must be at zero cost to the patient if inequities in maternal access and outcomes are to be addressed.
To talk more about commissioning, please contact us.
