NHS trusts told to end postcode lottery of IVF treatment

Now Nice is to issue new strengthened guidance directing the NHS to provide three full cycles universally.

It will also direct trusts to provide, for free, a treatment for patients about to undergo cancer treatment that would probably leave them infertile. Egg, sperm and embryo freezing can be carried out prior to cancer treatment so the patient can have children later once given the all clear.

This comes after a judge criticised Thanet Clinical Commissioning Group for refusing to fund this procedure for Elizabeth Rose who was about to undergo chemotherapy for a severe form of Crohns disease.

Thanet's reason was that they simply disagreed with the Nice guidance.

There will be an expectation that all NHS trusts comply with the new Nice 'quality standard'.

The draft standard said women under the age of 40 who have not conceived after two year of trying or 12 cycles of artificial insemination should be offered three full cycles of IVF on the NHS.

Women aged between 40 and 42 should be offered one cycle providing they have not previously had IVF.

Sarah Norcross, co-chairman of the National Infertility Awareness Campaign (NIAC) said: This is an excellent move. We are delighted that Nice has accepted our recommendations and that the number of cycles has been included in the quality standard.

"We are also pleased that an explicit statement has been included regarding living children as this is too often used as a reason to refuse treatment.

This should send a strong and clear message to all commissioners and could not be a better or clearer indication of exactly what is needed to bring the unfair and unequitable postcode lottery approach to funding to an end.

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NHS trusts told to end postcode lottery of IVF treatment