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The Southend Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is planning to remove NHS funded IVF treatment for infertile couples, except in exceptional circumstances, against the guidelines of the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) which state that three rounds of treatment should be available. This is in contrast to Clinical Commissioning Groups in other areas.
Milton Ward Councillor Cheryl Nevin says: “This restriction in NHS treatment is purely due to financial constraints, producing a postcode lottery for couples, especially those on low incomes, and it disproportionately affects women”.
Councillor Nevin, who also Chairs Southend Council’s Scrutiny Committee for People, added: ”I am concerned that Southend CCG, which is currently in a period of consultation, isn’t mentioned in a recent article in The Guardian about the number of Hospital Trusts reviewing these services. We need to hear more about the impact this will have on patients who are accessing these services currently, or who have had past experience. I encourage people who are or may be affected by the proposals to take part in the consultation”.
“This is just another example of cuts being made based not on clinical evidence, but because of the Government’s poor financial management”.
Further information and the consultation document can be found on the CCG website and the report in The Guardian is available by clicking here.
Anyone wishing to discuss these proposals with Cllr Nevin can contact her on 01702 212879 or by email at cllrnevin@southend.gov.uk