IVF treatment to be offered to York couples on NHS

IVF treatment to be offered to York couples on NHS

11:10am Friday 20th June 2014 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

CAMPAIGNERS have hailed a decision to give York couples one cycle of IVF treatment on the NHS, bringing the area into line with the rest of the UK.

The NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) Governing Body said yesterday it had agreed a criteria for treatment for couples.

The group was previously the only one in the country not to offer a single cycle of the fertility treatment after Scarborough and Ryedale voted last month to reintroduce it.

Karen Boardman, 34, of Heworth, York, who has been trying to conceive since she married her husband Pete three years ago, and has spoken out previously about the issue, said yesterday: Its absolutely excellent news. Its a really positive step forward, although I had hoped they might offer two cycles. She revealed that after undergoing fertility treatment, she had just been told she needed IVF and it was possible the decision might benefit her in time.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said he was absolutely delighted, adding: Despite inheriting massive debts from the old Primary Care Trust and a national health funding formula which sadly still disadvantages York, the CCG have made fantastic headway in balancing the books

York Central MP Hugh Bailey said: I have been campaigning for a change in policy and I am glad the CCG has agreed to start paying for this treatment once again, at least for some infertile couples.

I will watch how many couples are treated and how successful the treatments are in comparison to other areas of the country.

The Vale of York group covers Pocklington, Pickering, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Easingwold, Selby and Tadcaster as well as York.

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IVF treatment to be offered to York couples on NHS