Plans to deny women IVF on NHS is scrapped
APLAN to deny women IVF on the NHS in part of Greater Manchester has been scrapped.
The move, revealed by or sister paper the M.E.N. last week, would have seen the Trafford borough become the first in the region – and one of only a handful of areas in the country – to axe free fertility treatment.
Concerned residents and politicians warned that ending treatment would have a devastating impact on people desperate to become parents. Women can get one cycle of treatment on the NHS in Trafford.
Many argued the move would worsen the postcode lottery already faced by people in the region.
Bury, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Oldham and Tameside clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) all fund three cycles of IVF – and Salford, Stockport and Wigan two cycles. Bolton, Manchester and Trafford fund one cycle of treatment.
Cutting IVF was one of four proposed cost-cutting measures put forward by Trafford CCG in its latest budget – and the only one to be scrapped.
Medical officer Dr Mark Jarvis said clinicians agreed the service should be retained. “We felt it was a political decision, rather than a clinical one,” he told a meeting yesterday.
CCG chiefs said there had been a mix of support for and against axing free IVF, with most people agreeing the regional postcode lottery was unfair.
IVF was found to be costly in comparison to its success rate, with one cycle of the treatment said to be successful in 20 to 30 per cent of cases.
But CCG bosses were warned about the emotional impact on people not able to conceive or afford IVF.
Heather Fairfield, who represents Health Watch on the CCG board, told the meeting: “We are obviously totally against what is being put forward, particularly when you look at the potential of babies being born compared to the relatively low saving of £424,000.”
A member of the public spoke in opposition of the plans. “This proposal affects a small number of people, but it affects them in very large way,” she said.
“IVF is a big financial burden and for the funding to be removed would have a huge impact.
“It would take someone on a lower income a long time to save that money. We’re women who are not getting any younger.”
CCG board members agreed to scrap the plan in Trafford, but agreed they needed to further negotiate cost of cycles with providers.