Improve access to IVF, says RCN

Published: 15 December 2009

Access to NHS-funded IVF must improve, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said today (15 December), as it launches a new policy briefing on infertility provision in England.

The briefing paper looks at current practice in the NHS and points to evidence that says only a third (30%) of PCTs offer three full cycles of treatment. While this is an improvement on 2007 figures it still falls short of NICE guidelines which say all PCTs should offer three full cycles of treatment.

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. It also calls for:

• At least three full treatment cycles should be made available to couples
• National non-clinical access criteria should be implemented to ensure equity and the end to practices where some PCTs restrict IVF on an arbitrary basis for example on whether the couple already have children
• Nurses should use their expertise in understanding the psychological impact of infertility and the pressures experienced by patients, to contribute to the commissioning process on a local level

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.

The briefing shows that specialist nurses play a key role in IVF, as they care for and inform the patient during what can be a highly emotional and stressful treatment. As well as providing psychological support for future parents, many nurses are using extended clinical skills including performing egg retrievals and the transfer of embryos.

Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said:

"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."

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Notes to editors

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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.