Postcode lottery

Gareth Johnson, Conservative MP for Dartford and Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on infertility has, within the last few days, specifically recommended that all Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) should be offering free cycles of IVF treatment as recommended by the NICE Guidelines. 
It is estimated that 1 in 7 couples in the UK suffer from infertility problems. 

As Mr Johnson states:-

"IVF is the creation of a life and gives hope to thousands of infertile couples across the UK.  IVF treatment was invented in Britain and so, more than any other country, we should be championing its use"

However, research has indicated that PCTs are not offering infertile couples three cycles of treatment, as recommended. 
As is feared, IVF treatment is a 'postcode lottery'.  Here are some examples:
(a) Bury - places age limits on the women that they will treat; only allowing women to be treated between the ages of 39 and 40 years.
(b) In Hampshire and Milton Keynes - only women aged 30 to 34 are eligible for treatment. 
(c) In Bournemouth and Buckinghamshire only those aged 30 to 35 are offered IVF.
(d) Warrington, West Sussex, Stockport, North Yorkshire/York and North Staffordshire - offer no IVF treatment at all.
(e) Wales - most health trusts only allow women IVF between the ages of 38.5 and 40. 
We may remember, in 2004, NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) stated that couples should be given up to 3 cycles of IVF on the NHS, where the woman is aged between 23 to 39.
Vanessa Priddis and Rachel Cook of the Family Law Service Fertility Team state:

" At a local level, the Peninsular Fertility Clinic at Exeter offers 1 NHS funded cycle of IVF which appears to be a departure from the NICE Guidelines"

For further information please contact the Michelmores Fertility Law Team.