# announcement on fertility services in NI



## galaxy girl (Feb 12, 2008)

HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCES ANNUAL
£1.5MILLION INVESTMENT IN FERTILITY TREATMENT



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01HRS ON THURSDAY 26 MARCH 2009

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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## Babypowder (Nov 1, 2008)

God thts great news, though still looks like extra tx is going to be a while away yet , but great for anyone waiting and hope it improves standards aswell wihin the RFC.


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## Babypowder (Nov 1, 2008)

Just wanted to say well done to Glitter, thought you did a great job and got your points across very well and clearly. 

But people still have this opinion that we're just a pack of moany *****es, that are all bitter inside , and just want a baby......just because, and we shouldn't be spending 'their' money on IVF, and why does it always fall to us woman, do the public not realise that a big % is male infertility? and that the woman agrees to tx as that is the only way her DH, DP, DB can provide a child , god people make me mad on this subject........must be [email protected]*!king nice to drop your knickers and get pg, think some people think we deserve this as its obviously been something we've done i.e-caught a disease,so therefore thats what you get   .

Sorry for the rant but my god.

How do we ever change peoples opinion?


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## Babypowder (Nov 1, 2008)

God have to logg off me thinks, it makes me sooo upset, thats like saying to someone with cancer....did you smoke? ah well no tx for you as it was your own doing, just away and die somewhere and do it quietley.


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## emak (Jan 21, 2008)

Well the announcement is good news ofcourse BUT falls well short of what we all wanted to hear ,but its a start and going in the right direction ,at least it should cut down on the riduculous waiting times and hopefully improve the quality of service in the RFC.  

I havent listened to the interview yet what time was it on so i can scan back to hear it??

BP you are so right in what you say


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## weeza82 (Dec 14, 2007)

Glitter's interview, transcribed onto the BBC News website is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7965040.stm


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## Tearful (Nov 19, 2007)

Well done Glitter! I read the extract from the link that weeza82 posted- thanks weeza.

 I didn't get to hear the radio as i tuned in too late. Wish i had done so i could have text in the odd reply to the ar**ho**s who just don't understand!       Some folk can be sooooo insensitive. They've obviously never gone through such a heartache in their lives so far that they have had to depend on NHS funding, good medical intervention and good luck!!  

The news itself of course is good but like most of us on here (i think) is not what we were wishing for.   I'm also one of those who had my fingers crossed that it was to announce more cycles per couple. It would have been great! Sadly i think by the time that happens then we will have remortgaged the house to go private if this current try doesn't work, be in a load of debt and probably then not qualify for another NHS funded go as we may have had 2 goes private. (Which would make it the 3 to then disallow you another funded go). I'm ranting a bit i know. But as i think we all agree it is a very emotional time!  

I guess its  start in the right direction. xx


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## Babypowder (Nov 1, 2008)

just wanted to say, in-case I've offended anyone when I mentioned cancer , I never would wish cancer or anyone and would always campaign that there are services in place and that people can access tx, I was sooo upset earlier at that man who said a child wasn't a right and that person who couldn't understand why glitter is doing this if she thinks its so 'awful'

apologies if I did  but I hope you girls know I wouldn't have meant any malice. BP


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## Tearful (Nov 19, 2007)

Hey BP!  

No worries hun. I'm sure everyone on here knew what you meant. My Uncle died from lung cancer last year and i didn't take offence. Lots of people in the general public are very quick to assume things and give an opinion without ever really understanding. It's just something that unfortuneatly although upsetting we have to let it go over our heads as these people are no good at all at empathy and their worlds are rather small to match their tiny brains where they mostly walk about with their eyes closed! That's life. 

     

chin up chick! We all have our low days. Completely understandable. Just forget about the ars*hol*s and put all your energy into concentrating on your tx that starts real soon.


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## yellazippy (May 10, 2008)

If i understand this correctly then the age has been dripped from 40 to 39?

I wonder does this apply to your NHS go only or private as well?

I`ve just turned 38 so it won`t give me much time if it affects the private treatment


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## Sue30 (May 22, 2008)

HEy there - BP - no offense taken whatsoever .. !! It is a very emotive topic to be discussed in an open forum - I know I find that!!! People who get pregnant naturally very quickly just have no idea what it is like to live your life from month to month, period to period and now appointment to appointment - the stress on a relationship, on finances, on every aspect of your life is huge!

Big


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