Well bless 'em. The PCT can't afford to provide IVF treatment as recommended by the Government and which 95% of the UK has free access to, but they can afford to build a new hospital car park at a cost of some £5.2 million (which equates to around 1,300 courses of IVF). Of course car parks are very important. They really help patients get better, help cure their illnesses, help research into new breakthroughs in medicine. But I don't suppose that matters when they aren't actually providing a Health Service, just a revenue-generating car park.
No doubt they will argue that it is being funded by York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, not North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (still with us), even though it was York's hospitals that caused in part the huge (£24 million) budget deficit that resulted in IVF treatment being withdrawn.
Smoke and mirrors, being wafted and angled by some self-serving bureaucrats it seems.
Monday 28 July 2008
Saturday 26 July 2008
Our campaign in the news
As mentioned in a previous post, we spoke to the Harrogate Advertiser regarding North Yorkshire PCT's position on providing assisted fertility treatment. We were very pleased to see this article in the newspaper - and on the front, at the top, in big bold type! Hopefully it will get our campaign really going and get a few more people leaving their views on our petition. So if you haven't left a message yet please do so now.
The one thing that made us smile (we have to keep smiling) was the official line from North Yorkshire PCT that 'the policy did not apply in some cases of exceptional clinical need'. So - as long as the female partner is aged between 39 years 6 months and 40 years old, she will be allowed one course of IVF, even though the average chances of success are just 10% at that age (compared to 25% at my wife's age now) or if she has exceptional clinical circumstances. The one example we were given of exceptional clinical circumstances were 'if the woman has a terminal illness which meant she would be dead before she reached the age requirement'. This is simply madness - North Yorkshire PCT are prepared to help bring a child into the world when they know the mother has a low life expectancy, but they are not prepared to help when both the parents are young, fit, healthy and wanting to raise a family together.
Priorities? The only priorities North Yorkshire PCT appear to have are to remove the little red lines on their balance sheet, not to actually help people in need, to follow Government and NICE guidelines on provision of treatment or to consider a thoughtful and sensible approach to providing the services that 95% of the UK has free access to.
The one thing that made us smile (we have to keep smiling) was the official line from North Yorkshire PCT that 'the policy did not apply in some cases of exceptional clinical need'. So - as long as the female partner is aged between 39 years 6 months and 40 years old, she will be allowed one course of IVF, even though the average chances of success are just 10% at that age (compared to 25% at my wife's age now) or if she has exceptional clinical circumstances. The one example we were given of exceptional clinical circumstances were 'if the woman has a terminal illness which meant she would be dead before she reached the age requirement'. This is simply madness - North Yorkshire PCT are prepared to help bring a child into the world when they know the mother has a low life expectancy, but they are not prepared to help when both the parents are young, fit, healthy and wanting to raise a family together.
Priorities? The only priorities North Yorkshire PCT appear to have are to remove the little red lines on their balance sheet, not to actually help people in need, to follow Government and NICE guidelines on provision of treatment or to consider a thoughtful and sensible approach to providing the services that 95% of the UK has free access to.
Thursday 24 July 2008
In the papers
To help raise awareness of the situation regarding the lack of funding for IVF and other assisted conception methods in the North Yorkshire PCT area, I had a telephone interview with the Harrogate Advertiser yesterday. They have said that they are very surprised to hear about the lack of provision and were very happy to run an article about it in this week's edition. They also said that they will consider running more stories about it over the coming months.
Of course we are not naïve enough to think that things will happen overnight and that we will suddenly get to the front of what will be a long waiting list should it ever be re-opened, but we strongly feel that something needed to be said. infertility is often something couples are ashamed of and they will not stand up to have their voices heard. We fear that it is precicely for that reason that the PCT decided they could afford to withdraw the service in the first place.
We will post up next week once we have seen the final piece and we hope that it may help us and all the other couples in similar situations across North Yorkshire
Of course we are not naïve enough to think that things will happen overnight and that we will suddenly get to the front of what will be a long waiting list should it ever be re-opened, but we strongly feel that something needed to be said. infertility is often something couples are ashamed of and they will not stand up to have their voices heard. We fear that it is precicely for that reason that the PCT decided they could afford to withdraw the service in the first place.
We will post up next week once we have seen the final piece and we hope that it may help us and all the other couples in similar situations across North Yorkshire
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Professor Edwards (the pioneer of IVF treatment) on the provison of IVF by the NHS
"Every couple should be allowed to have three babies on the health service because this is the greatest gift that you can give any man or woman."
That says it all doesn't it?
That says it all doesn't it?
IVF on BBC Breakfast News
We are clearly more conscious of it at the moment, but IVF news seems to be eveywhere. Just this morning I switched on the television to be greeted with a piece regarding IVF treatment in the UK.
They were concerning themselves with the fact that 30 years after Louise Brown, the first 'test tube baby' (the common term for IVF, given because the egg is fertilised in a test tube) was born and how the UK lags behind the rest of Europe in the provision of treatment. They were discussing how it seems amazing that the country that pioneered the treatment cannot provide a clear and unambiguous policy on the provision across the country's 105 Trusts. In some areas (nine in total) patients can get treatement that follows Government and NICE guidelines (three courses of IVF). In many others patients can get one or two courses, some with restictions on eligibility such as insisting that one or both partners are non-smokers or that the female partner should be under 35 years old. Others insist the female partner must be OVER 36 years old.
It is utter madness - insist the female should be over 36 years old before she is allowed the treatment - the time of her life when she is becoming, statistically, much less likely to actually succeed wih treatment.
Let's hope that the media attention will make North Yorkshire PCT, along with the other four PCTs that do not provide the service, to sit up and take notice.
I can't say I am holding out much hope though.
They were concerning themselves with the fact that 30 years after Louise Brown, the first 'test tube baby' (the common term for IVF, given because the egg is fertilised in a test tube) was born and how the UK lags behind the rest of Europe in the provision of treatment. They were discussing how it seems amazing that the country that pioneered the treatment cannot provide a clear and unambiguous policy on the provision across the country's 105 Trusts. In some areas (nine in total) patients can get treatement that follows Government and NICE guidelines (three courses of IVF). In many others patients can get one or two courses, some with restictions on eligibility such as insisting that one or both partners are non-smokers or that the female partner should be under 35 years old. Others insist the female partner must be OVER 36 years old.
It is utter madness - insist the female should be over 36 years old before she is allowed the treatment - the time of her life when she is becoming, statistically, much less likely to actually succeed wih treatment.
Let's hope that the media attention will make North Yorkshire PCT, along with the other four PCTs that do not provide the service, to sit up and take notice.
I can't say I am holding out much hope though.
Monday 14 July 2008
My meeting with our local MP, Phil Willis
This morning I had an apointment to see our MP, Phil Willis, to discuss the issue of North Yorkshire PCT's refusal to fund any form of assisted conception.
It was an interesting meeting, interesting in that I heard what I already expected to be the case - that he had already lobbied the PCT over their position on behalf of other constituents unsuccesfully.
The PCT continues to state, in a rather non-committal manner, that it will review its position on funding later this year. Mr Willis stated that he would be contacting both the PCT over the non-committal wording of the last correspondence he received and that he would also be writing to Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson, Secretary of State to put the question to him that the so-called postcode lottery still exists and that his constituents have found themselves in the tiny minority of the UK's population that cannot receive any help towards the cost of IVF treatment simply because other districts covered by the PCT mis-managed their budgets in the past.
It was an interesting meeting, interesting in that I heard what I already expected to be the case - that he had already lobbied the PCT over their position on behalf of other constituents unsuccesfully.
The PCT continues to state, in a rather non-committal manner, that it will review its position on funding later this year. Mr Willis stated that he would be contacting both the PCT over the non-committal wording of the last correspondence he received and that he would also be writing to Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson, Secretary of State to put the question to him that the so-called postcode lottery still exists and that his constituents have found themselves in the tiny minority of the UK's population that cannot receive any help towards the cost of IVF treatment simply because other districts covered by the PCT mis-managed their budgets in the past.
Friday 11 July 2008
What are we doing to help ourselves?
We know that we can't just sit back and expect things to be handed to us on a plate. Since we started trying for a family we have altered our lifestyle in the hope that we conceive naturally. We have changed out diets (more fresh fruit and vegetables - all organic) and cut out alcohol completely. For my wife it was easy as she doesn't drink regularly, but for me it was a bit of a shock to the system as I do enjoy my regular nights out both socialising with mutual friends and with 'the lads'. I have also started taking regular vitamin supplements like zinc and vitamin C - something I have always been cynical of in the past as I believe we all get the vitamins we need in a balanced diet - but at this stage I feel we have to be open-minded about anything that may help us achieve our goal and improve the results of our final test due later this month. I will write a post after we get them to let everyone know if all our changes have made any difference.
Our first thoughts...
My wife and I are trying for a baby. Insofar we have been unsuccessful and have enquired about assisted fertility treatment in case we find that we need outside help to conceive. After an initial consultation with Professor Balen at Leeds Nuffield Hospital we have found out that North Yorkshire PCT will not provide funding for any form of assisted conception.
We have since contacted Jill Fox and Sue Redshaw, both who work for North Yorkshire PCT, and they have confirmed that due to budget deficits, they do not give help to couples who, like us, are struggling to conceive. This is in spite of Government and NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines stating that at least one course of IVF should be provided via the NHS (the ideal being three courses).
Jill Fox did advise that the PCT will be reviewing their position in the autumn of 2008. Should they decide that they will start supporting treatment again, it will only open up the existing waiting list (some people have been waiting for two years since the service was suspended). Anyone requiring treatment in those last two years will only be able to join the back of that existing list. She wouldn't say how long they estimated the list to be if and when it is re-opened.
On Monday I am going to see our local MP, Phil Willis (Lib Dems) to discuss the matter and I shall post up once we have spoken.
I will also be posting as the weeks and months pass with details of our progress.
We have since contacted Jill Fox and Sue Redshaw, both who work for North Yorkshire PCT, and they have confirmed that due to budget deficits, they do not give help to couples who, like us, are struggling to conceive. This is in spite of Government and NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines stating that at least one course of IVF should be provided via the NHS (the ideal being three courses).
Jill Fox did advise that the PCT will be reviewing their position in the autumn of 2008. Should they decide that they will start supporting treatment again, it will only open up the existing waiting list (some people have been waiting for two years since the service was suspended). Anyone requiring treatment in those last two years will only be able to join the back of that existing list. She wouldn't say how long they estimated the list to be if and when it is re-opened.
On Monday I am going to see our local MP, Phil Willis (Lib Dems) to discuss the matter and I shall post up once we have spoken.
I will also be posting as the weeks and months pass with details of our progress.
Our petition to North Yorkshire PCT to fund IVF
***************
INSTRUCTIONS
***************
Click on the 'Comment' link at the bottom of this page to register on our petition - we shall pass the results on to North Yorkshire PCT.
Please feel free to post any comments, experiences and thoughts along with your name and home town if you wish.
Remember that the decision by North Yorkshire PCT was a purely financial one. 95% of the UK are able to receive assisted fertility treatment on the NHS. An official recommendation was made by the Government that it should be provided and this was backed up by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Yet North Yorkshire PCT remains one of four PCTs that refuse to offer the service unless the patient meets a very strict criteria - the female must be between 39 years 6 months and 40 years old or have 'exceptional clinical circumstances'.
INSTRUCTIONS
***************
Click on the 'Comment' link at the bottom of this page to register on our petition - we shall pass the results on to North Yorkshire PCT.
Please feel free to post any comments, experiences and thoughts along with your name and home town if you wish.
Remember that the decision by North Yorkshire PCT was a purely financial one. 95% of the UK are able to receive assisted fertility treatment on the NHS. An official recommendation was made by the Government that it should be provided and this was backed up by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Yet North Yorkshire PCT remains one of four PCTs that refuse to offer the service unless the patient meets a very strict criteria - the female must be between 39 years 6 months and 40 years old or have 'exceptional clinical circumstances'.
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