South West IVF black spot

Sarah Norcross, co-chair of Fertility Fairness said: ‘Somerset clinical commissioning group (CCG) is completely disregarding the views of both patients and the public by cutting the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles from two to one. The CCG’s own consultation shows that the majority of people consulted (57 per cent) want three cycles of IVF to be funded and that the majority of those consulted (74 per cent) also said that the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles should not be reduced in order to balance the costs of reducing fertility treatment waiting times from three years to two. We are appalled to see patients and the public ignored and let down by Somerset CCG.’

Susan Seenan, co-chair of Fertility Fairness and chief executive of leading patient fertility charity Infertility Network UK said: ‘Somerset CCG is also ignoring national public health guidance on treating the disease of infertility. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends that it is both clinically and cost effective that all eligible couples should receive up to three full NHS-funded cycles of IVF or ICSI where women are aged under 40. Reducing IVF provision will have a drastic impact on patients and the health economy. The pain and grief of fertility problems has severe social and economic consequences – leading to depression, social isolation and the breakdown of relationships.’

The South West of England is now one of the worse areas in terms of provision of NHS-funded fertility treatment. From the tip of Cornwall, across Devon and through to Bristol, Gloucestershire, Dorset and now Somerset – all the clinical commissioning groups in these areas offer just one funded cycle of fertility treatment. Only Wiltshire and Gloucestershire offer 3 funded cycles; no areas offer two.

Commenting on this paucity of provision, Sarah Norcross said: ‘The South West is now a fertility black spot. In the South West region, 90 per cent of CCGs offer just one funded cycle of IVF; across England as a whole, 57 per cent of CCGs offer one cycle of NHS-funded fertility treatment is.’