Agenda item

(A)    Lesley Hamilton, Assistant Director Public Health for Northamptonshire PCT, was introduced to the meeting to speak on the proposed eligibility criteria for IVF treatment in Northamptonshire.  Andrew commented that the reason for wanting this on the Agenda had come out of a media release on 30 August which had highlighted a clear discrimination in terms of the criteria.He pointed out that one of the eligibility criteria was that the couple would be in a stable heterosexual relationship for at least twelve months.  L Hamilton stated that funding for IVF treatment in Northamptonshire had been temporarily suspended and that when the service resumed, most likely during 2007, there would be new criteria to help the NHS decide which couples should be eligible for treatment.   Northampton PCT were currently asking for comments and were therefore publicly consulting on the eligibility criteria for IVF treatment in Northamptonshire before finalising the criteria prior to the service resuming.  She briefly explained the proposals and criteria for when the service was resumed.  In addition the couple needed to meet the following eligibility criteria namely:

the female partner will be aged between 31 and 39 years of age

the couple will be in a stable heterosexual relationship for at least twelve months

the couple will have no living children from their current relationship, also one partner would have no living children from a previous relationship and the other partner would have no more than two living children

neither partner will be sterilised

the female partner will be rubella immune

neither partner will have a body mass index greater than thirty

the couple will have had no previous cycles of IVF treatment during their relationship, including private treatment or treatment partly or fully funded by the NHS

where the female partner had already had surgery to repair damaged fallopian tubes, eighteen months would have passed without conception

It was noted that the PCT planned to review the eligibility criteria early in the New Year and was inviting comments on the current draft criteria and suggestions as to how it might be amended to ensure that access to IVF funding and treatment was as equitable as possible.  Comments could be sent either in writing or by email to Bridget Peat, Communications Manager, Highfield, Cliftonville Road, Northampton by no later than 30 December.

The eligibility criteria was then generally discussed by the Group, with it being reiterated that it was the second point where this group had particular concerns.  Andrew stated that it was really just a case of taking out the word heterosexual and that would resolve the problem.  In terms of the public consultation, a further comment from this Group was that whatever became available next year should be available to all regardless of sexual orientation. 

ACTION:Andrew to liaise with L Ambrose to get a response drafted and sent out on behalf of this Group.

(B)    S Silver referred to correspondence, copies of which were circulated, entitled “A Community Vision for Northampton to 2031”.  He stated that in order to progress Vision activity a conference was being held on 5 December aimed at LSP partners at Kings Park Conference Centre.  The Vision would be submitted to Cabinet in January and would underpin a community strategy.