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To: Julia Ross, Chief Officer of Bristol, Nth Somerset and South Glos CCG

Stop cuts to IVF in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

We won! 18/11/17

Dear friends,

I'm over the moon to have such a happy update for you all - the local CCGs have withdrawn their proposed cuts to IVF in Bristol and the surrounding areas. An amazing result! Thank you so much for getting involved in the campaign.

More than 1,200 of you signed this petition, and 629 individuals filled out the consulation. 90% of respondents disagreed with the proposals to cut the age limit for women eligible for IVF to 30-35. Some of the comments that individuals left in the consulation are included in this report, and make for quite heartbreaking reading.

As part of the decision to withdraw the proposals, the CCG noted their concern that "the risk of a legal challenge is high given the inequality in respect of age which will be exacerbated by this proposal". Too right!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - nobody wants to go through IVF. It is a treatment of last resort for women and couples that can't start a family. Our NHS needs to be funded properly so that it can be there for everybody that requires treatment.

Sadly, on the same day that we found out Bristol CCG have withdrawn their unfair plans, a nearby CCG (BANES) anounced similar cruel proposals to cut IVF. Please do fill in their consultation and tell them to stop targeting women and couples desparate to try for a family: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/fertilitytreatment

A massive thank you again for your support. This simply wouldn't have happened without you all signing this petition and filling in the consultation.

Kitty

Read more about the Bristol plans being withdrawn:

https://www.bristolccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/nhs-service-proposals/fertility-treatment-eligibility/

https://www.southgloucestershireccg.nhs.uk/media/medialibrary/2017/10/Item_8.2_Analysis_of_Fertility_Proposals_Engagement_Exercises.pdf

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/health/bristol-nhs-scraps-unfair-discriminatory-749740

Do not cutback or limit IVF and fertility services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Why is this important?

The NHS Bristol is being crushed under budget cuts. Now fertility services in the Bristol area are under threat.

Current proposals are to limit treatment to to women aged between 30 & 35 years (previously anyone up to the age of 40 was eligible) where there are no existing children and only one cycle will be offered. The upper age limit for men to receive treatment will also be reduced to 52 years.
Half the couples who currently receive treatment in the Bristol area will no longer qualify and will be forced to pay for treatment privately or go without.

These proposed cuts to fertility funding are a shameless attack on desperate women and couples and will do little to nothing to relieve the budgetary pressures that the NHS is under.
Bristol; South Gloucestershire; North Somerset

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Updates

2017-11-20 11:35:10 +0000

Petition is successful with 1,256 signatures

2017-09-14 20:48:45 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2017-09-13 20:31:29 +0100

500 signatures reached

2017-09-06 08:23:14 +0100

100 signatures reached

2017-09-05 17:41:30 +0100

50 signatures reached

2017-09-05 13:01:16 +0100

25 signatures reached

2017-09-05 12:12:47 +0100

10 signatures reached