Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo today outlined new measures to help the NHS improve childless couples’ access to IVF treatment.
Following on from the NICE guideline on fertility, published in 2004, which recommended up to three cycles of IVF for eligible patients, the Department of Health is working with leading infertility patient group Infertility Network UK to assist PCTs in giving consideration to fertility treatment and improve access.
This work will include:
* developing, in partnership with the NHS, social access criteria for IVF treatment to ensure a standardised approach across the country for deciding which couples are eligible for treatment;
* producing best practice guidance for PCTs, so that those struggling to provide enough cycles to patients can learn from other PCTs that are successfully implementing the NICE recommendations;
* the Department of Health has also announced that it will begin monitoring IVF provision across the country to help identify where the NHS may need further assistance.
The Department of Health will work with the HFEA to promote costed treatment plans for people seeking IVF in the private sector, through their Code of Practice. This will provide assurance to patients of the cost of their treatment in advance.
With the NICE review of its fertility guidance due next year, the department will liaise with NICE about new research which indicates that the minimal use of drugs in stimulating egg production may be as effective and safer than higher levels of stimulation.
Dawn Primarolo said:
“We recognise that there are local variations in the provision of IVF and that this does cause distress to many childless couples who feel that they are not getting the treatment they need.
“Primary responsibility for implementing NICE guidelines rest with the NHS at local level, but it is important that PCTs are fully aware of the needs of infertility patients when deciding their policies and setting their priorities.
“We want to help PCTs deliver these services and that is why we will be working with Infertility Network UK on ways in which it can work with PCTs to help ensure that fertility patients’ voices are heard when decisions about the provision of services are made at local level.
“The project will focus on identifying best practice in the provision of fertility services, and on sharing that best practice between PCTs. In addition to this, the Department of Health will be monitoring IVF provision across the NHS on an on-going basis to see where further assistance maybe needed.”