Fertility Network UK statement on HFEA fertility sector report 2016-2017

Concerns about the number of adverse incidents at fertility clinics continuing to rise

Commenting on the HFEA’s state of the fertility sector report 2016-2017, Aileen Feeney, chief executive of leading patient charity Fertility Network UK said: ‘While we welcome the news that fertility clinics are close to reaching targets on reducing the number of multiple births (with their concomitant health risks to mother and children), it is of grave concern to see that the number of adverse incidents at fertility clinics is continuing to rise (up 8.5% in the last year), and at a rate which is higher than the growth in the number of fertility treatments carried out in the last 12 months (a 6% increase). Patient safety has to be a clinic’s number one priority.
Looking to the future, we look forward to seeing how the HFEA’s new patient feedback process, where patients can rate individual clinics, will inform and direct patient care. We encourage all fertility patients to use this facility on the HFEA’s website and to also send the HFEA additional information about their experience of care at fertility clinics.’

Full details of the report are available here https://www.hfea.gov.uk/media/2437/hfea_state_of_the_sector_report_tagged.pdf