Mid and South Essex removes postcode lottery for NHS IVF funding
10 Feb 2023
The postcode lottery for NHS IVF funding has been removed from Mid and South Essex following a decision by the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). It has confirmed that patients that meet the NHS criteria will now be eligible for up to two full cycles of IVF from 1st April 2023.
Bourn Hall provides NHS funded IVF treatment across Essex from its clinics in Wickford, Colchester and Cambridge and is offering a review for patients that may now be eligible for treatment.
Professor Arpita Ray, Clinical Lead at Bourn Hall Essex, comments: “Many people that require fertility treatment have been living in limbo waiting to see if NHS IVF treatment will be reinstated. The decision to remove the postcode lottery now makes it possible for them to seek the help they so desperately need to start their families.
“To support these patients, we are offering those that have had fertility testing, with or without a diagnosis, a review of their fertility journey and medical history. This information will enable them to make a decision about their next steps and bring them closer to their dreams.”
Other forms of support
Not everyone needing treatment will be eligible for funding – perhaps your BMI is too high – but it is still worth getting in touch to discuss your options. Bourn Hall offers a consultation with a nutritionist to help achieve a healthy BMI and there are options such as egg sharing or sperm donation that may make treatment more accessible for those not able to access NHS funding.
NHS IVF funding for Essex
The decision last night (9th February 2023) was made by the board of the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board, which has replaced the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG), each of which had a different policy – for example, in Chelmsford there was no funding but in Thurrock there were two funded cycles, and in Southend one funded cycle.
Katy and her husband Leigh were among those affected by the lottery – the couple were not eligible for NHS-funded IVF treatment when they moved to a house in Essex five miles up the road from their previous one. They wrote to their local MP, Mark Francois, and also Matt Hancock, who was Health Secretary at the time, to lobby for equal NHS funding of IVF in Essex.
Katy says: “Wow, this is amazing news. This is going to be so positive for a lot of people.”
Criteria for NHS IVF funding from 1st April 2023
Couples considered eligible by their NHS consultant will be offered: a maximum of two full cycles of IVF (and or ICSI) where the partner receiving treatment is between the ages of 23 and 39.
Where the partner is between the age of 40-42, a maximum of one full cycle will be offered.
A full cycle is defined as up to one fresh and one frozen embryo transfer. This will include the cost of freezing and storage. For patients who do not achieve a live birth with the fresh embryo transfer, the transfer of one frozen embryo will be funded. Any previous IVF cycles, whether self- or NHS-funded, will count towards the total number offered by the ICB.
Eligibility
(taken from Part 1 ICB Board Papers 9th February Page 22)
The age of partner receiving treatment at the time that the embryos are frozen is required to be within the age limits set out in the policy. This also applies to the age at transfer. Patients younger than 23 will be considered where investigations have shown conception would be impossible without fertility treatment.
Cause of infertility: Couples who have been diagnosed as having a male factor or female factor problems or have had unexplained infertility for at least two years, taking into consideration both age and waiting list times. Where the partner receiving IVF is 40-42, the period of unexplained infertility should be at least one year.
Registration: The partner receiving IVF should have been registered to an MSE practice for at least 12 months preceding referral to IVF services.
BMI: Women will only be considered for treatment if their BMI is between 19-30 (Kg/m2). Men with a BMI of >35 will not be considered for treatment.
Smoking: Couples must be non-smoking at the time of treatment.
Living children: Fertility treatment will only be offered where there are no living children in the current relationship or where neither partner has children from previous relationships.
Same-sex couples: If six cycles of privately funded IUI have been unsuccessful, demonstrating infertility, the couple will be eligible for IVF.
Donor gametes: Up to one batch (usually six) of donor oocytes and one batch of sperm will be funded.
Frozen embryos: Where more than two viable embryos are generated, up to two transfers will be funded in line with the rest of the policy. Any remaining embryos will be subject to the same criteria as if the oocytes were the couple’s own.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) will not be funded.
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“We went to an open evening at Bourn Hall Wickford and came away feeling really positive about the place. The staff were really friendly and the presentation was clear about the statistics regarding success rates and live birth rates; their data was very transparent. We came away feeling like we would really be looked after.”
Katy and Leigh are parents to Charlie after IVF
Patient 2023
“We chose to make an appointment at Bourn Hall Wickford because of the favourable reviews. When we got there and met the staff they were just so lovely, making us feel welcome and explaining to us what tests would need to be done and what our options were; we just thought ‘yes, let’s get the ball rolling!”
Jess and Fran are mums to Nathan after IVF with donor sperm
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