ICBs fail to improve NHS fertility treatment access, despite Women's Health Strategy

Just three out of 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are offering the recommended three full NHS-funded IVF cycles across their entire area, analysis by the Progress Educational Trust (PET) has shown.

The charity carried out the research after raising concerns that little had been achieved for fertility patients since the launch of the Women's Health Strategy by NHS England one year ago (see BioNews 1152). While the Strategy had promised to remove non-clinical criteria and postcode barriers, analysis showed that in some places, there is now a postcode lottery for treatment within a single ICB, due to lack of harmonisation of fertility policies since ICBs replaced Clinical Commissioning Groups in July 2022.

PET director Sarah Norcross said: 'The Women's Health Strategy promised to shine a light on the inadequacies in NHS funding for IVF treatment. Our data shows that this is not happening.

'If the Government is having difficulty honouring its commitments in the Women's Health Strategy, then people need to know, so that solutions can be found.'

Professor Dame Lesley Regan, the government-appointed Women's Health Ambassador for England, was due to speak at an event held by PET on 19 July 2023 that aimed to explore the impact of the Strategy on fertility patients so far. However, she withdrew from speaking, as did a Deputy Director of Nursing from NHS England (see BioNews 1199).

In a statement, Professor Regan reiterated a commitment originally made in the Women's Health Strategy to improve affordability for female same-sex couples, by removing the requirement to self-fund intrauterine insemination before qualifying for NHS IVF treatment. Professor Regan then added: 'Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are responsible for applying this locally. We recognise that there has been a delay in implementing local action. NHS England is developing advice to assist ICBs deliver this policy, and this work is ongoing.'

On Saturday 22 July, the Government announced that it had published data showing how many IVF cycles are funded by the NHS in each area of England, stating it had taken this information from ICB policies. Policies from ten of the 42 ICBs in England are absent from this data, on the grounds that these policies are currently under review.

A recent report by PET showed that many GPs are confused by the current NICE Fertility Guideline, which states that eligible patients should receive three full IVF cycles, including egg retrievals and transfer of all viable embryos (see BioNews 1190).

In a press release, the Government claimed it had launched the 'First ever dedicated area for women and girls on NHS website'. This resource links to information about infertility published online in 2020, and not updated since.