RCN calls for improved access to IVF

Published: 14 December 2009

The Royal College of Nursing has launched a new policy briefing on infertility provision in England, calling for improved access to IVF treatment on the NHS. The paper looks at current NHS practice, where only a third of primary care trusts (PCTs) offer three full cycles of treatment. This falls short of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, which say that all PCTs should be offering three cycles.

Currently around one in six couples in the UK have problems conceiving and over three million babies have been born world-wide as a result of IVF. The new briefing says that full implementation of the NICE guidelines on IVF treatment would help many couples who are unable to conceive naturally.

Patient safety would be improved by fully implementing the NICE guidelines, according to the briefing. The availability of three cycles would make single embryo transfers more acceptable to patients for whom it is recommended, and reduce the numbers of twin and triplet pregnancies that have health implications for both mother and baby. Such reductions would also result in a significant cost saving for the NHS.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter says: "IVF treatment is an important service offered by the NHS that offers hope to thousands of couples wanting to start a family. We know progress has been made by PCTs to implement the NICE guidelines on fertility provision. However there are still staggering variations in the access criteria PCTs use in assessing who gets IVF as well as the availability of three full treatment cycles. We call upon all PCTs to work with nurses to take the necessary steps to ensure that the NICE guidelines are fully implemented and to end this unfair treatment for many couples."