More people to access government funded IVF

A deal has been made with two UK-based fertility clinics to offer approximately 90 government-funded IVF cycles to people in Jersey every year.

Deputy Lucy Stephenson, who proposed improvements to fertility funding last year, asked the Health Minister for an update on the new IVF funding model in the states earlier this year.

In response, Deputy Tom Binet confirmed the Health Department had negotiated lower rates with the Lister Fertility Clinic in London and the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine.

However, a local fertility charity believed that the criteria to qualify for funding would exclude more than half of applicants.

The new access criteria for IVF funding in Jersey, which took effect on 1 January meant all couples were eligible for one funded IVF cycle, regardless of income.

Couples with a gross household income under £200,000 were eligible for two cycles, while those earning under £82,300 qualified for three cycles.

Additional criteria, such as age, BMI, and relationship status, also applied.

Both partners must be childless, including children from previous relationships.

Chloe Fosse, the founder of fertility charity, Tiny Seeds said that 64% of people might not qualify to access their funding.

That was according to the charity's own survey of 80 people.

She was concerned that funding "isn't available to single people" and unavailable to "people who already have a child, even step-children".

"And also those who have previously self-funded IVF may not qualify or may qualify for less-funded cycles," she said.

Assistant Minister for Health, Deputy Andy Howell, acknowledged that the criteria excluded certain groups, including single individuals, same-sex male couples, parents, and those who had privately funded IVF previously.

Ms Howell said they were going to look at the uptake at the end of March "to see if things need to change so that more people can access the service."

She encouraged anyone interested in the service to come forward, and said: "We would love to help them."

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