Health commissioners are consulting with the public about proposals to review eligibility for NHS IVF funding. NHS Mansfield and Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood CCG are seeking the views of the local population before a decision is made about the options being considered.

The options, outlined in a consultation document available to the public, include options to change the eligibility criteria for access to IVF treatment funded by the NHS. The document also outlines options to withdraw NHS funding for treatment.

Dr Amanda Sullivan, chief officer for NHS Newark and Sherwood and Mansfield and Ashfield CCG, said: “I appreciate this is a difficult area to discuss. The local NHS has been very successful in treating more conditions and in helping people to live longer.

“Additional funding has been made available to the NHS, but new treatments, growing levels of long-term conditions and increasing expectations mean that CCGs now have to re-prioritise how precious NHS resources are deployed. As the health needs of our population change, we need to review how best to allocate the considerable resources available to us, so that maximum health benefits can be achieved overall.

“It is the CCGs role to plan and buy health care services for the local population. We need to save around £20m this year, roughly twice the normal savings requirement. The CCGs need to ensure that there is enough money to maintain high quality and safe services.”

The full list of services discussed can be seen in a special report on the CCGs’ website.

Funding of IVF in Newark and Sherwood and Mansfield and Ashfield is currently around £300,000 per year.

The CCGs currently fund one cycle of IVF. People sometimes pay privately for additional cycles should that be required.
Local data shows that during the last year 106 people received IVF across mid-Nottinghamshire with 35 resulting in a pregnancy, 34 resulting in no pregnancy, seven cancelled and 30 still awaiting results.

The formal consultation ends on Friday, 13th January. People are asked to give their views on a range of options by completing the survey at www.mansfieldandashfieldccg.nhs.uk