# Nhs wait times for Wales



## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

Hi everyone. I'm really new to this so hope I'm posting this right. Just wondering if anyone knows what the nhs wait time is like in Wales at the moment? I hear really mixed stories so I'm really considering having one private cycle whilst we are waiting. Just don't know what to do. Any stories or advice would be very welcomed, thank you xxx


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## pollita (Feb 23, 2011)

It depends on where you are in Wales and which clinic you'll be referred to. I'm in South Wales and I know that the wait times were quite long a year ago because everyone was being referred to singleton in swansea. Then they opened a new unit in neath port talbot hospital so the wait times dropped dramatically. My friend is in Llanelli though so she's under the care of either prince Philip or glangwili (can't remember which now) and she has and still is waiting years to be seen


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

I'm down in Tenby so I've got to go to either port talbot or cardiff. I'm only just being referred now, we have our blood tests next week before we can get referred. Whenever I seem to ask a doctor about wait times they never really give an answer. Do you know how many private rounds of ivf are allowed whilst still being allowed nhs? I've been told I'm only allowed one round private. I've been to lwc in Swansea, they seemed really nice. It seems that if you pay for 2 rounds you get your 3rd free, it's not worded like that but works out that way. This is why I don't know if I should pay for just one. I'm so confused xxx


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## happylass14 (Feb 2, 2016)

Hi Kelly. I'm in South Wales and have been treated at the Heath. I was referred in April 2014 and had my first appointment at the Heath in June 2015. We could have started treatment immediately but we chose to wait until after our holiday in August. At the time I was hearing horror stories of the wait being 2 years plus but, having spoken to others on this board, I believe they've now got the wait down to about a year. On the subject of private treatment you can have 2 cycles but it'll reduce your NHS entitlement to 1 round IF they find out. AFAIK there is no way of WFI knowing how many cycles you've had, unless you tell them!


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

A 12 month wait doesn't seem so bad, I've read about people waiting years and years. How many cycles are you allowed here in Wales? My doctor hasn't told me this xxx


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## happylass14 (Feb 2, 2016)

Hi Keilly. Generally you are entitled to 2 NHS cycles. It is subject to their approval though.


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

Thank you for your info, it seems that I can learn much more on forums like this one than my own doctor, haha. I thought for some reason I would be allowed 3, not sure where I got that info from. Well to be honest I may see if I can go private for a couple first. It's the not knowing of the wait time on the nhs that stresses me out. If you were given a date that would be something. Is it just crgw that you've used privately? I'm thinking of using lwc Swansea as its closer for me. Do you know anything about lwc?xxx


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## happylass14 (Feb 2, 2016)

You could maybe try calling the Heath just to ask what the approx wait time is. They won't give you a definite time scale but they should be able to give you some indication. Almost everyone I meet on forums from this area has used CRGW and I've only ever been there so I know nothing about LWC I'm afraid. Is there not a LWC thread on here?


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

I haven't seen one. I think it's quite new so maybe not too many people have used it. Like you say I think I'll give the Heath or port Talbot a ring and see if they can give me an indication on time. Thanks so much for the info though, you've been really helpful. When I speak to friends and family etc I think they think I'm just being impatient, which I am really, haha, but it's nice to talk to people who know exactly what the waiting around feels like xxx


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## Gem32 (Apr 30, 2015)

Hi kelly the wait depends on what preliminary tests you've had done. I had all initial tests bloods, ultrasound and hsg at my local hospital then got referred to WFI in November. They phoned me in january and asked whether I minded being transferred to Neath Port Talbot clinic for treatment which I was fine with. Had initial appointment late January and started treatment in March. I can't speak highly enough of the clinic in neath they've been fab and there's no lengthy delays in pharmacy and driving round for hours for a parking space.


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

I haven't really had any tests done, we are having our blood done in 2 weeks, they said I need to be between 2 and 4 days of my cycle. My partner had his semen analysis 2 weeks ago too. I've had 3 ectopics, resulting in my right tube being removed, they said my remaining tube doesn't look the best either. I think I'll phone the hospital Monday, I have a few questions for them, they are going to love me, haha xxx


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## happylass14 (Feb 2, 2016)

Here is the LWC thread. It says Cardiff but there seems to be chat about Swansea on there too. From what I understand you have to go to Cardiff for EC/ET anyway. I don't think it's new though, I'm sure it's been around longer than CRGW. 
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=344900.0


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## Tink27 (May 19, 2016)

Thanks for finding that, I'll take a look now 👍Xxx


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## rachelb2014 (Jan 28, 2014)

Hi I live in South Wales and was put on Cardiffs hospitals waiting list back  and the list was 18 months wait so they gave me an optional to transfer to Heath hospital so I did and I think that took 14 months. Had my first cycle in 2014 and another cycle in 2015 there. Fingers crossed for you waiting times have reduced or they will give u the option to transfer


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## Natsel (Jun 16, 2016)

Hi I live in South Wales , I went for my first ivf appointment on the 16th of June . ( neath port talbot ) Was referred by my local hospital the end of December 2015 and hoping to start my treatment end of August . I was told the waiting lists are a lot  shorter  now xx


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