# Complaint Letter to the NHS



## Perasperaadastra (Mar 8, 2014)

Just been through a cycle of IVF on my 2ww now. (embryo transferred today). I opted in for the Egg Sharing program because I couldn't afford to do it alone, and was happy to share my eggs with someone who struggled like myself.

But having had not great embryos , and reading the up-to-date statistics on how many single women there are paying to IVF, I want to complain to the NHS for not funding the treatment. I am going to spend a few days writing a letter but not sure where to send it to. 

Also if you are aware on how I find out which areas in England do support it, I will include this. It is an alternative family and they treat lesbians or men with low sperm, (use donor sperm), so it doesn't make sense to me?

What use think? Maybe we should do some form of a petition?

Thanks 

x

Details below from This Morning - SINGLE WOMEN WHO OPT FOR IVF - Traditionally, starting a family comes after marriage and meeting a man but as a new study has revealed, that is no longer always the case. The number of single women opting to make their dreams of motherhood a reality using IVF has doubled, with 632 women choosing to go it alone in 2012 compared to just 259 in 2007. Melanie Hemmings is one of those single women. After 10 years alone, she decided to stop waiting for Mr Right and bring up a baby by herself. Following 3 rounds of IVF, she had a daughter; who is now six months old. Melanie joins us today to explain why she isn't worried about her child growing up without a dad. Joining her is IVF and Fertility Consultant Professor Geeta Nargund. As always we want to hear from you. Your comments may be read out on air.


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## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

Hello 

I'm not aware of any areas that offer treatment on the NHS :-(


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## Diesy (Jul 19, 2010)

Several of us have had to fork out for major surgery, £7,000, which is automatic for couples even if "daddy" is firing blanks.  A friend in London got it anyway despite not even trying for kids or even wanting one, but was in the utopian twosome.  The excuse is that we haven't done a year of trying.  I'd done a year of trying in a recent previous relationship and still I was told to go and have 3 IVF before going back, £19,500 locally.  

After paying for my op, which could have also have been done for health reasons I'm still in masses of debt and can't afford IVF.  

Sorry for sounding ****** off, better out than in 
Diesy


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## even (Apr 15, 2012)

did you ever write your letter of complaint?

I'd love to write a letter to the NHS and UK society at large stating my position, but it would identify me and therefore my future children and because of certain details I can't do this, so once again I have to struggle on by myself.

What I would say is that there needs to be education in school about women's fertile window (notice I don't say MORE education about it, cos I don't reckon there is any, there defo wasn't when I was at school).  I was lucky that I found out about it in my very early 20s, so the fact that I'm now past the golden age of 35 and still childless shows you just how much crap life can throw at you to stop you from getting that MOST BASIC of things - children.  I'd drop all my friends (I can make new ones) all my family (they either don't support me or outrightly attack me), what I can't drop is kids - there is no replacement.  I'm all in favour of adoption but can't do it at the mo for a couple of reasons, one of which is my crap family.

What I really want to say is that I should be rewarded for having respect for men in general and for their role in parenting, this is why I haven't just netted some unsuspecting man just for the sake of having kids.  You should hear some of the stories my friends tell, and the compromises they've made in terms of men just to get pregnant and then have someone to share the cost and work of parenting.  I refuse to live a lie, to saddle my kids with a dad they'd only ever see sometimes, to take a father's children away from him, and for this I am punished.  The joke of it all is that if I leave it until I find a decent man, the NHS will have to pay for 3 x IVF most likely as I'll be so infertile by then, and the relationship would be very unlikely to last as it would be built on my desperation to have kids, whereas if they just got off their butts and paid for some sperm, it would be a fraction of the cost and not involve divorce and hell later.  I've had IUI abroad, I know how quick and cheap it can be so the NHS could easily do it for less than £500 a go.

rant over, but as diesy says, better out than in
ev xx


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## Weebear (Jul 24, 2013)

One of the things that will affect a single woman's position is the change that was implemented in donors within the uk. So now a child can trace back their egg or sperm donor which had put off a lot of potential and previous donors, so there is a wait for them. I'd maybe check this out to see how the stats have changed.


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

weebear - pretty sure that there has actually been no significant drop in donor numbers since anonymity was lifted
indeed if you read here, it suggests numbers were actually UP..
http://www.hfea.gov.uk/465.html
x

/links


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## Lilly83 (Jan 19, 2012)

My area fund singles, same sex and donor

At least they said they do

Lilly x


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## itwillhappen2015 (Apr 2, 2013)

I would like to complain about not getting funded for any treatment as a couple so when you find out who we should send it to let me know! - I am married, neither of us have any children, we are in the right age group , even the consultant said on paper we should qualify for NHS funding of 2 cycles but because of my numbers they won't as I am not a good enough gamble. 

      so annoying .............. and breathe!


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## notamuggle (Jan 15, 2013)

What area is that Lily?

This postcode lottery is crap!


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

I found out just a couple of days ago that the whole of Wales offers IUI and IVF to same sex and single women. News to me, and probably a lot of other people! Got an appointment next week to start all the tests, but the criteria is strict - as a single woman you must have been trying by artificial means for a min of 12 cycles, but you can't have tried through a fertility clinic more than 3 cycles to be eligible. The same strict BMI limits apply (under 30), they won't allow IUI to take place for at least 2 months after you go on the waiting list, and IVF for at least 12 months (although more likely to be 18+)

I'd write to the PCT initially. Maybe the more people who do the more likely they are to consider it, or at least discuss it when it comes up for review.


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## Lilly83 (Jan 19, 2012)

I'm in Tameside the CCG is Oldham, I get 3 funded cycles i'm so so grateful

We had to change over to donor eggs to and they let us, my clinics in Manchester 

Lilly x


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## notamuggle (Jan 15, 2013)

That's great! the CCGs in my area dont even offer the 3 cycles recommended by NICE to couples!


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## even (Apr 15, 2012)

pollita, sorry,, i don' t understand, you say they won't accept a single woman unless they've been trying artificially for 12 cycles, but they won't accept that woman if she's been to a private clinic for more than 3 cycles?  So are they saying you have to try with live sperm or something?  That option only exists because there's a loophole in the law...... and they're encouraging it?!  Am I confused?


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

I think I slightly misread it, even (I was tired!)

Here's the actual text:

"Subfertility

Criteria - Subfertility must be demonstrated before there can be access to NHS funded IVF treatment. Subfertility for heterosexual couples is defined as inability to conceive after 2 years unprotected intercourse or fertility problem demonstrated at investigation *Subfertility for same sex couples/single women is defined as no live birth following insemination at or just prior to the known time of ovulation on at least ten non-stimulated cycles or fertility problem demonstrated at investigation. *"

Although, I have just looked it up since finding that (I copied and pasted it to my blog) and they seem to have decreased it to only 5 cycles rather than 10 (as of 2013 it says, but I only found the text last week!)

And yes, it says that the insemination can be non-stimulated through a clinic or private arrangement, although how they'd govern the five attempts I have no idea! The 3 cycles it refers to would be stimulated, so obviously through a clinic.

http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/niac_2/nhs_funding_in_wales

/links


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Each CCG will have different and their own criteria hence postcode lottery in UK .


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## even (Apr 15, 2012)

pollita, thanks for clarifying xxx


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