06 July 2021
Marta Jansa Perez, Director of Embryology at BPAS Fertility, said:
“It’s great to see this CCG recognising the unacceptable inequality that currently exists in fertility care and taking this step towards addressing it. Prior to this decision, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG was one of just three NHS bodies in the country that did not provide fertility services, leaving patients no option but to go private – if they could afford it.
“The IVF postcode lottery undermines the most fundamental principle of the NHS, that care should be provided according to need, and not the ability to pay. We are delighted that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG will now reinstate NHS fertility services, and BPAS congratulates the local campaigners and MPs who have worked hard to achieve this step towards equal access to fertility treatment.
“However, the problem is much wider than just one area. Fertility provision varies enormously across the UK, and thousands of patients each year are missing out on the care they desperately need. This year BPAS will open England’s first not-for-profit fertility service to help address this inequality, but we won’t have a truly fair system until all NHS bodies agree to provide three full cycles of IVF, in line with NICE guidance.”
ENDS
About BPAS
BPAS is a charity that sees over 100,000 women a year for reproductive healthcare services including pregnancy counselling, abortion care, miscarriage management and contraception at clinics across Great Britain. It supports and advocates for reproductive choice. BPAS also runs the Centre for Reproductive Research and Communication, which seeks to develop and deliver a research agenda that furthers women’s access to evidence-based reproductive healthcare, driven by an understanding of women’s perspectives and needs. You can find out more here: https://www.bpas.org/get-involved/centre-for-reproductive-research-communication/
Later in 2021, BPAS will launch England’s first not-for-profit fertility service, to provide ethical, evidence-based, person-centred care that supports patients. We will provide a safe, high-quality, and accessible service, without profiteering from patients. Our service will give those ineligible for NHS funding an affordable option to access the care they need.
