Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IVF TREATMENT OPEN TO GAY COUPLES IN ULSTER
Equality boost after extension of fertility care
FERTILITY treatments are to be made available to same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, it was confirmed yesterday.
The Department of Health said interventions such as IVF are now available to gay people on the NHS.
It is understood the move comes some years after similar measures were introduced in the rest of the UK.
Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said the decision is a further step towards equality for same-sex couples.
She added: “I am absolutely delighted by this news. My thoughts are with all those who are going through fertility treatment and now all those who will soon be joining them.”
However, campaigners are continuing to press for a greater availability of IVF including the recommended gold standard of three cycles of treatment.
There are also ongoing talks regarding criteria that will be applied to same-sex couples before they are deemed to be entitled to treatment.
The Department of Health said staff are finalising the updated eligibility criteria for all people seeking procedures at Belfast’s Regional Fertility Centre.
A spokesman the department has a “well-established policy of endorsing NICE [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] guidelines that identify evidence-based best clinical practice”.
He added: “This supports continuous development of services and informs investment decisions. The Department can confirm that in line with the endorsement of NICE Clinical Guideline 156 and as part of the HSC’S ongoing implementation programme for this guideline, same-sex couples are now eligible for Hsc-funded IVF and related treatment.”
John O’doherty, director of LGBT campaign group Rainbow, supported the announcement.
He added: “We and our partners in HERENI have been campaigning on this issue for some time and today’s statement is a welcome move.
“However, we must wait until we get clarity from the department on the criteria which will be used, particularly around fertility issues.”