IVF cuts may not deliver expected savings, warns councillor

Cuts to fertility treatment may not deliver the savings health chiefs expect, a councillor has warned.

Rochdale health officials recently voted to reduce the number of free IVF cycles available from three to one, in a move expected to save around £260,000 a year.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/125773/free-fertility-treatment-slashed-from-three-rounds-to-one-to-save-money

However, those with medical conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, will be able to apply for further treatment via ‘individual funding requests’, due to concerns they could be unfairly disadvantaged by the move.

And it is this exception which Councillor Pat Dale believes could lead to the anticipated savings failing to materialise.

Councillor Dale was speaking at a meeting of Rochdale Council’s Health, Schools and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

She said: “I would imagine that most women that go through this will have a medical condition that is stopping them from becoming pregnant.

“So, in order to look at the amount of funding we have on the side for this to happen, it’s going to be for more than we have allocated, because so many women who put themselves forward for IVF do so because they have a medical condition that is stopping them becoming pregnant.”

Councillor Dale also questioned the point of the public consultation given the decision did not reflect the fact 92% of respondents were against the proposal.

Rochdale now now joins Oldham – the birthplace of IVF – Bolton, Manchester, Bury and Trafford in offering just one round of fertility treatment, whereas Stockports offer two rounds, and Tameside and Glossop continue to offer three.

Committee chairman Councillor Ray Dutton and member Councillor Alan McCarthy both voiced concerns that access to IVF was now a ‘postcode lottery’ in Greater Manchester.

Councillor Dutton said: “I think it’s becoming a postcode lottery, I would have thought this was better led by GM telling the boroughs ‘this is what we hope you are going to vote for’ as opposed to each individual council making the decision.”

However, Tracey Harrison, Rochdale Council’s assistant director of commissioning for adults,  said each borough had different needs, based on how its population is made up and levels of funding.

She added: “The aim of implementing the policy as we have done is to give everyone the opporunity to access one (cycle) and a process in place where we don’t disproportionately disadvantage those that would require access to more than one cycle.”

Councillors were also unhappy they were scrutinising the proposal after the decision to approve it was made by health and council chiefs on the borough’s Integrated Commissioning Board.

Councillor Dutton said: “As chairman I’m dissatisfied that it’s come to scrutiny the day after a decision has been made and before we can influence any decisions.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter