PET were pleased to be invited to give a presentation at the recent All Party Parliamentary Group for Fertility roundtable which was chaired by Kate Osborne MP. PET shared some of their research into the situation faced by the 1 in 6 people affected by infertility in England.
- Limited GP understanding affects referrals, only half of GPs (50%) interviewed could correctly identify the NICE Guideline
- Poor funding, only 2 out of 42 ICBs offer the recommended level of NHS-funded IVF, that’s 3 full cycles.
- The UK public, especially those under 35 years old (68%), support the NHS funding of fertility treatment.
Fertility Action, led by Katie Rollings, drew together a wide range of voices including: Jess Brown-Fuller MP, Sir Gavin Williamson MP, Hannah Bardell (Fair Fertility Scotland), Baroness Geeta Nargund, Ippokratis Sarris (Chair Elect of the BFS), Carole Gilling-Smith (Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology), George Agathangelou (Health Economist), Anita Fincham (Fertility Europe), Laura-Rose Thorogood (LGBT Mummies), Becky Kearns (FMAW)
But most importantly this also included, patient advocates, Rakhee, Bethany, Carl and Catherine, who shared very movingly their lived-experiences.
Together the group delivered a powerful case for change.
If this is something that affects you, or someone you know, then please write to your MP and ask them to give their support to Kate Osbourne MP.
Find out more here: https://www.progress.org.uk/engagement/resource/end-the-ivf-postcode-lottery/