Croydon IVF funding cut sparks protest to minister

JEREMY HUNT is under pressure to block Croydon’s decision to become the first London borough to axe IVF funding in a bid to save NHS cash.

The Health Secretary has been asked by Croydon council to intervene after the borough’s clinical commissioning group voted to withdraw funding for fertility treatment with immediate effect last month. The council says the decision has created a “postcode lottery” for infertile Londoners.

The decision will save about £1.1 million over two years — the CCG has been ordered to make £54 million of cuts.

Councillor Carole Bonner, chairwoman of the council’s health scrutiny committee, said: “We’re making this referral because of the potential longterm adverse health effects the removal of IVF will have on Croydon residents. Not only can infertility result in family breakdown and the ending of relationships, but it often has an impact on the mental health of those affected.”

Dr Agnelo Fernandes, assistant clinical chair of Croydon CCG, said: “We took this difficult decision only after careful consideration and discussion in the context of the increasingly challenging financial position we face.” @RossLydall