PCT Approve IVF Funding Boost

28/06/2007

Gloucestershire PCT today announced plans to routinely fund assisted conception (IVF) services for eligible couple from 1 July 2007.

The Trust’s Professional Executive Committee, which includes GPs, Nurses and other health professionals, had been reviewing the Trust’s position alongside other clinical priorities during June.

Following a decision by the PCT Board, eligible couples in Gloucestershire will be offered one IVF cycle or up to 6 cycles of less invasive fertility treatment, such as ovulation induction, where appropriate.   

Director of Commissioning and Primary Care and Deputy Chief Executive at Gloucestershire PCT, Simon Hairsnape said:

“We appreciate the challenges that face couples who experience difficulties in conceiving and hope that the introduction of the policy in Gloucestershire will significantly improve the NHS services available.”

“We had always pledged to keep our policy under careful review and to work towards implementing National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance at the earliest opportunity alongside other service developments.”

Chair of the PCT’s Professional Executive Committee and Tetbury GP, Dr Tony Walsh said:

“For those couples involved, this is an issue of such great importance and I am pleased that the decision will offer some hope to those who are pursuing the dream of parenthood.”

“We have looked extremely carefully at the eligibility criteria which form part of our policy to ensure that they are consistent with best clinical practice. It is also important that the policy is affordable and maximises the number of couples who can receive treatment.”

Following referral by their GP, women will be seen at fertility clinics in either Gloucester or Cheltenham where follow up investigations will be carried out. If IVF, ovulation induction or donor insemination are identified as appropriate treatments, patients will be able to choose providers in either Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham or London.

The PCT predicts that the proposals will result in the PCT funding around 120 cases per year at a cost of £396,000. This had been taken into account as part of budget planning for 2007/08.

Further Information

The routine funding of assisted conception (IVF) services was suspended in October 2006.

The proposals considered by the Professional Executive Committee and PCT Board in June 2007 were based on the work of the Gloucestershire Fertility Scoping Group, which is made up of local clinicians and NHS managers.

The eligibility criteria states that couples must be aged between 30-39 years at the time of first treatment and will have failed to conceive for a period of 3 years prior to this (unless there is a known cause e.g. blocked fallopian tubes).

Special exceptions can still be referred to the PCT for consideration.

• Policy regarding Assisted Conception – IVF/Ovulation Induction and Inter Uterine Insemination (PDF)
  
  
• Related Templates (Word)
  Preliminary history for assisted conception patients and preliminary investigations before referral to secondary care
  
  

The policy will be reviewed at the end of March 2008.