Fertility treatment on NHS hit 12 year low as cash-strapped hospitals ration

September 24, 2016

Couples in England are less likely to be given IVF than in Scotland or Wales
Just one in six trusts provide the recommended three cycles of treatment
IVF cycles cost the NHS £5,000 on average but can cost double privately
Campaigners say IVF has become a ‘soft option’ for cost cutting trusts

Sophie Borland Health Editor For The Daily Mail

Published:
07:52 EST, 22 September 2016

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Updated:
10:41 EST, 22 September 2016

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Free IVF has hit a record low and thousands of couples are being denied the chance to have children, figures reveal.

Three NHS trusts ban the treatment and two other trusts could follow suit later this year.

And the figures mean that couples in England are less likely to be offered IVF than those in Scotland or Wales.

Only one in six trusts provide the recommended three cycles of treatment as directed by the health watchdog NICE.

Guidelines from NICE state that the NHS should offer at least three cycles of IVF as they are unlikely to be successful first time round. But figures obtained by the charity from Freedom of Information requests show just 17 per cent provide these cycles

Yet Scotland has promised that all couples will be offered three cycles from next year whilst in Wales they are guaranteed two.

The charity Fertility Fairness said IVF has become a ‘soft option’ for cost cutting trusts, or Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Around 1 in 7 couples suffer from infertility, which is medically defined as not being able to conceive after one year of trying.

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Guidelines from NICE state that the NHS should offer at least three cycles of IVF as they are unlikely to be successful first time round.

But figures obtained by the charity from Freedom of Information requests show just 17 per cent provide these cycles.

This is the lowest number since the guidelines were introduced in 2004 and a drop from 24 per cent in 2013.

This is the lowest number since the guidelines were introduced in 2004 and a drop from 24 per cent in 2013, campaigners say

The charity says many couples are going abroad where IVF is far cheaper than in private clinics in the UK.

A cycle of IVF typically costs the NHS £5,000 but some private clinics will charge £10,000 – depending on the type of procedure.

Clinics in the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe will charge half this amount but their safety guidelines are much less strict.

Women are far more likely to have twins or triplets as doctors insert more than one embryo into their womb to try and maximise chances.

Sarah Norcross, co-chairwoman of Fertility Fairness said: ‘IVF does seem to be one of the first things that clinical commissioning groups consider.

‘It seems to be a soft option for them to take – to reduce the number of cycles.

‘The NHS treats many, many conditions which are not life-saving and IVF is one of those. It’s a proven cost and clinically effective treatment and it’s been recognised as that twice by NICE now.’

A CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE TO IVF?

A ‘potent’ fertility treatment said to be cheaper and less invasive than IVF has been developed, scientists claim.

Australian and Belgian scientists have discovered how to improve a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant using an alternative.

The new method, which has already undergone pre-clinical testing, uses growth factors to enhance an existing fertility treatment known as in-vitro maturation (IVM).

The results show improved egg quality and a 50 per cent increase in embryos, with minimal use of drugs.

The NHS is facing its worst financial crisis in a generation and CCGs – which control local budgets – are increasingly trying to cut services to save money.

Managers often consider IVF to be a lifestyle choice rather than a medical necessity compared to cancer drugs or routine operations.

Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Diane Abbott said: The variation in availability of IVF treatment in different parts of the country will cause enormous distress to many couples looking to have children.

‘It shows the postcode lottery throughout the NHS combined with cuts to services.’

Dr Amanda Doyle, GP and chief clinical officer at NHS Blackpool CCG said: ‘Clinical commissioning groups are led by GPs whose first priority is always to the patient.

‘Wherever possible we want to give them what they need, including fertility treatment.

‘Unfortunately the NHS does not have unlimited resources and ensuring patients get the best possible care against a backdrop of increasingly squeezed finances is one of the biggest issues CCGs face.’