Oldham to scale back free fertility treatment despite public opposition
Oldham was the birthplace of IVF - creating the world's first test tube baby.
Last updated 24th Jan 2019
Health chiefs in the birthplace of IVF have agreed to vastly scale back free fertility treatment despite demands from the public that it should be retained out of ‘civic pride’.
Oldham – the town where the world’s first ‘test tube baby’ was conceive – will now see the number of IVF cycles available on the NHS reduced from three to one in a bid to save money.
The borough’s clinical commissioning group (CCG) governing body unanimously agreed the reduction on Thursday afternoon, despite their own consultation showing a majority opposed the plans.
Nearly 75% of people who took part in the survey wanted the health body to continue to provide three funded cycles to eligible couples.
Less than 10 pc supported the health body’s preferred option of cutting down to one funded cycle.
However bosses stressed that one cycle still provided couples with around five to eight chances to have a baby.
Nadia Bhaig, acting director of performance and delivery told the meeting at Ellen House it was becoming ‘financially unsustainable’ to offer three cycles going forward.
“That’s why the work around the consultation took place, to make sure we’re spending our increasingly scarce resources effectively,” she said.
“The majority view of those consulted was that the preference was to maintain three cycles against the CCG’s preferred option which is to reduce down to one cycle.
“That therefore presents us with a challenge.”
A summary of the responses by head of public affairs Mark Drury states that a strong theme was the feeling of ‘civic pride’ in the development of IVF in the town, and that the CCG should continue to champion it.
Louise Brown – the first baby to be conceived through in vitro fertilisation from a petri dish – was born at the town’s hospital on July 25, 1978.
Chair of the governing body, Majid Hussain, told the meeting it was a ‘challenge’ to decide whether civic pride outweighed the clinical needs of residents.
“But I do recognise a huge pride, it started in Oldham and that is something that is dear to us and really important,” he said.
“In terms of some of the unprecedented challenges that we face, we have only got X amount of finances and this is one of a number of areas that are being looked at.
“If we don’t cut this then something else is going to be cut. The bottom line is we’ve still got to save this amount of money from somewhere.”
Graham Foulkes, vice chair of the governing body, added: “We’re not just looking at IVF, we’re looking at a whole range of procedures across the spectrum about what we can afford to deliver.
“It’s a very difficult decision to make because there is a huge emotional content and we are the home of IVF, but we have to see it in the broader context of delivering improved health outcomes for the population as a whole.”
In total, 250 surveys were completed during the eight week consultation, with 10 pc of respondents having received IVF in Oldham in the last five years.
Last year, NHS providers in Oldham spent £544,958 on IVF, with the average cost per cycle standing at around £2,700.
Cutting down to one cycle will now save around £147,500 a year.
Couples with ‘exceptional’ claims can still apply to access funding through the Effective Use of Resources (EUR) route within the organisation, bosses said.
Chief clinical officer, Dr John Patterson said: “There are medical reasons why you become infertile and there are population health reasons and the whole thrust of Oldham Cares is better population health and early intervention.
“And I think as much as we historically might be the home of IVF, and we want to continue to offer one cycle, we also want to invest in the health of our population so the instance of infertility falls as well.
“One cycle can mean five to eight chances to have a baby, not one chance because all those eggs can be used in that one funded cycle.”
Julie Daines, strategic director of corporate affairs and resources added that continuing three cycles against the Greater Manchester trend could see an even greater ‘influx’ of requests for the fertility treatment from people coming from outside the borough.
There is a so-called ‘postcode lottery’ across the English NHS providers, with different areas offering a range of free fertility treatment.
Some offer no publicly-funded services at all.
In Greater Manchester, Bury CCG has recently reduced its number of cycles to one, from three.
Last year Trafford CCG scrapped its plans to axe its one cycle of IVF following accusations the move could have had a devastating impact.
Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG has just concluded a consultation to reduce the number of cycles it provides from three to one.
Salford, Stockport and Wigan fund two cycles, while Bolton and Manchester fund one cycle.
Tameside CCG remains the last health body in Greater Manchester to offer three funded cycles.