NHS Surrey has decided to reinstate funding for IVF patients.
The board decided to defer requests for IVF in 2010 to curb a £35m deficit and make savings of £125m.
They agreed to continue with treatment that had already started, but stopped taking new IVF referrals in December 2010, in a round of cuts that included deferring care for smokers until they had completed a course to kick the habit.
They agreed to review the decision within a year and announced this week that IVF funding would be reinstated from April 2012.
Anne Walker, chief executive NHS Surrey, said: “This decision was undoubtedly very tough for the people affected and it’s not a decision we took lightly.
“While there was unanimous agreement that the restrictions currently in place should be lifted, there was also serious debate about what we could afford financially, presenting the board with a true dilemma.
“After long and hard consideration, the outcome was that the board gave their absolute commitment to reinstating specialised assisted conception, including IVF, from April 2012.”
We want to hear about your experiences of IVF treatment in Surrey.
Please contact Lauren May on 020 8722 6346 or lmay@london.newsquest.co.uk
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