AssistedConception.org

PRESS STATEMENT

Released by: National Infertility Awareness Campaign, 10 August 2005

The National Infertility Awareness Campaign (NIAC) welcomes a move by the Scottish Executive to consider introducing a waiting time target for infertility treatment at tertiary level. In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Scottish MSP, Mary Scanlon, the Executive announced that following a review of access criteria for NHS funded assisted conception treatment, it would consider the need to apply a target waiting time for tertiary infertility treatment.

NIAC has campaigned for over 10 years for fair and equal access to treatment on the NHS for all those with infertility problems.

Infertility affects at least one in seven couples and those who are denied access to appropriate treatment for it face profound psychological and emotional strain. However, excellent results can be achieved in treating infertility if a patient is rapidly investigated and referred quickly for appropriate treatment.

Until now, infertility treatment has not been included in the Waiting Times Guarantee, leading to huge variations in waiting times across Scotland and some couples facing years on health board waiting lists. Given the impact of female age on the success of the treatment, it is vital that patients currently needing IVF treatment should be able to access their treatment as quickly as possible.

NIAC strongly welcomes the Executive’s decision to address this problem by reviewing the need for a waiting time target to be applied to infertility treatment.

Responding to the announcement, Sheena Young, of NIAC Scotland and Regional Organiser for Infertility Network UK, said that, “ As well as improving access to infertility treatment in Scotland, it is key that action is also taken to address the considerable waiting times that couples still face in some health board areas. NIAC supports the need for a waiting time target for infertility treatment in order for as many couples as possible to be given the chance to conceive. The Scottish Executive has set a maximum female age limit on eligibility for NHS funded treatment. It is therefore absolutely crucial that steps are taken to reduce waiting times in order to avoid the devastating situation in which women exceed the age limit because they have spent years on a waiting list.

“Given the huge emotional stress already facing couples with infertility problems, NIAC calls upon the Scottish Executive to take steps to ensure that couples can access a fair and equitable services throughout Scotland and to introduce a waiting time target for treatment as soon as possible to address the current unacceptable length of time some couples are forced to wait.”

Mary Scanlon MSP, who will chair a new cross-party parliamentary working group on infertility to be launched in the autumn, commented on the move by saying that, “I am delighted with this breakthrough, and to hear that the Scottish Executive has responded by launching a review of NHS funded infertility treatment. I will continue to work closely with NIAC, Infertility Network UK and Health Professionals, who are involved with my Working Group, to ensure that Infertility Treatment is recorded as a Waiting List target, as this is the only way to ensure that adequate resources will be dedicated to assisting the many couples throughout Scotland who desperately wish to conceive a child.”

For more information contact
Sheena Young
Tel: 01294 218868
Mobile: 07762 764 162
The National Infertility Awareness Campaign is an umbrella organisation comprising over 30 organisations that have campaigned since 1993 for equality of NHS funding for infertility treatment, including Infertility Network UK (formerly CHILD and ISSUE), the British Fertility Society, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Association of Clinical Embryologists, the British Infertility Counselling Association and Relate.
www.infertilitynetworkuk.com/niac.php