# IUI now available on NHS in Wales



## Pognut (Apr 8, 2012)

Incredible, but true!! We've just been referred by our GP. Women in same-sex relationships are now able to have 5 cycles of IUI (then IVF) paid for the the NHS, and it's the same across Wales. Document about the changed rules here:

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/Documents/898/IVF%20Policy%20Version%204.0.pdf

V v excited about our referral. We should have our initial consulation in November - does anyone know how long it (usually/roughly) is between that and the first treatment?

/links


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## Laura cardiff (May 17, 2012)

Hiya Congratulations on your referal.
We were referred in feb 2010 by our GP in cardiff. Seems like a lifetime ago now. 
Really don't want to put a downer on things but do want to inform you on a few things as I wish I had been when I was referred.
On average the waiting list for an appointment in cardiff for IVF wales (not sure on other areas in wales) is a year to get an appointment then its tests etc. Then if you are accepted for IUI i.e if the tests are okay then the waiting list for treatment is another 18months for IUI and 2 years for IVF if their are issues.
If you can wait this long then great but if like me you can't there are other options. We are still waiting for that appointment even though we just got a BFP through a different route. 
Just really want you to aware of things as we weren't aware till after the one year appointment and were hugely dissapointed about the next waiting list. 
xxxx
Laura


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## Candy76 (Feb 19, 2011)

Pognut, I can only second what Laura said. The waiting times are unbelievable long at IVF Wales. There seem to be issues with staff shortage and patients being farmed off to other NHS clinics. The staff attitude has improved massively over the last years. But this still hasn't made us pregnant.

I would see what they say at your initial consultant appointment (let me know, I am intrigued) and then look for alternative routes to getting pregnant. Once you get to the top of the list, then take this treatment as a bonus. I think if you are in a position where you have to rely on treatment by IVF Wales, then you are a bit stuffed. We found it extremely frustrating, and have more or less given up on them now. They may have sorted themselves by the time it is your turn...

Thanks for posting the link to the funding paper. I didn't know they had increased the number of IVFs you could have before receiving funded treatment. This will help a lot of people - But also increase the waiting times.


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## Pognut (Apr 8, 2012)

Thanks, both, I've only just seen your messages! We've got our first appointment in a fortnight so fingers crossed that they've sped up more generally... Will let you know how it goes.


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## Pognut (Apr 8, 2012)

Just wanted to say what had happened at our appointment - the gynaecologist couldn't have been nicer, and has booked me in for more bloods (because they lost the ones my GP did! of course!) and an HSG. He is happy to refer us to the Shropshire and MidWales clinic, who I've spoken to and whose waiting times seem to be about 9 months to a year, from what I have managed to get out of them. They are *incredibly* good at dodging direct questions about length of waiting times, but they did say, directly, that they weren't anything like as bad as IVF Wales', so for anyone else in the future, might be worth trying to get referred up here! I've had the bloods done already (timing was good) and have the delights of the HSG booked for 7 weeks' time. Then we see the gynae again and get the actual referral. It all seems slightly too good to be true, given the situation in S Wales, so I will believe it when I see it. But so far, so encouraging.


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## Candy76 (Feb 19, 2011)

Glad to hear your appointment went okay. And its always good having a next appointment as this makes you feel like something is happening that brings you closer to your goal.


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