Funding for IVF reinstated in north east Essex five years after it was cut

Five years after it was cut, funding for IVF has now been reinstated in north east Essex.

In 2015, the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group suspended all NHS-funded IVF treatment in a bid to save money.

Couples living in Colchester and Tendring will once again be able to access two cycles of fertility treatment from April.

Two cycles of IVF treatment will be available to couples who meet the necessary criteria Credit: PA

It follows a letter from Health minister Caroline Dinenage in November last year, asking all CCGs who don't provide any NHS fertility treatment to address England's 'unacceptable' IVF postcode lottery.

Two free cycles of IVF treatment are currently available to patients in neighbouring Ipswich, East Suffolk and NHS West Suffolk CCG areas.

Up until now, north east Essex was one of five areas in the county to not fund IVF.

Map showing NHS IVF funding in the East of England (published April 2019) Credit: Bourn Hall Clinic

Until 2014, all the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the East of England offered the same level of provision to all eligible patients, which was in line with the NICE recommendation of three full cycles of treatment.

CCGs in the East of England provide NHS IVF funding for the following cycles of treatment (Figures from Bourn Hall Clinic UK in April 2019):

Essex:

  • Mid Essex: 0

  • North East Essex: 0

  • Castle Point and Rochford: 2

  • Southend: 1

  • West Essex: 1

  • Thurrock: 3

  • Basildon and Brentwood: 0

Suffolk:

  • West Suffolk: 2

  • Ipswich and East Suffolk: 2

  • Great Yarmouth and Waveney: 2

Norfolk:

  • West Norfolk: 2

  • South Norfolk: 2

  • Norwich: 2

  • North Norfolk: 2

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire:

  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: 0

  • Bedfordshire: 1

  • Luton:3

Hertfordshire:

  • Chilterns: 1

  • East and North Herts: 1

  • Herts Valley: 1