Health Minister announces annual £1.5million investment in fertility treatment

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, today announced £1.5million of extra funding annually for publicly funded fertility treatment.

This follows a one off investment of £800,000 in recent months to reduce waiting times.

Mr McGimpsey said: “Current funding has provided for over 400 cycles of treatment per year. However, demand has been well in excess of this figure. The extra recurrent funding I am providing will ensure that, going forward, no-one who qualifies for publicly funded treatment will have a waiting time of longer than a year, and should allow a move towards increasing the number of cycles of treatment. The service will also move to one regional waiting list ensuring equality of access to all Northern Ireland residents.”

The Minister’s announcement follows a review of the current criteria for publicly funded fertility treatment carried out by a group made up of clinicians, patient representatives and the Department.

The Minister continued: “I recognise the distress caused to many people across Northern Ireland by problems with fertility. I would encourage people considering fertility treatment to discuss all the issues relating to these therapies with their GP or consultant and be sure that this is the right course for them. The extra funding I am announcing today will help improve both access to treatment and the quality of our fertility services”.

Notes to Editors:

1. Following a public consultation the following criterion will apply to publicly funded fertility treatment:

• Treatment is limited to those with a medical cause for infertility.
• Duration of infertility – in general couples must have been trying for a year to be diagnosed as having fertility problems. In order to qualify for specialist infertility treatment they must have a diagnosed cause for their infertility or have been infertile without a recognised cause for three years
• Age limits – the upper age limit for a woman using her own eggs is 39. The upper age limit for a woman using donor eggs is 49 with due consideration given to the impact on any child born to older parents
• Number of unsuccessful cycles – access to treatment is restricted to those who have three or fewer unsuccessful treatment cycles whether privately or publicly funded
• Those eligible for treatment are offered one publicly funded treatment cycle
• Voluntary sterilisation - where someone has previously been voluntarily sterilised treatment can be provided at clinical discretion.

2. NICE guidance

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on fertility treatment recommend that eligible couples should be offered up to three stimulated cycles of in vitro fertilisation treatment including frozen embryo transfer where appropriate. Northern Ireland, in common with GB, aspires to this level of provision and will move towards it as funding restrictions allow.

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