Hi Natalie, I'm currently having ICSI at St Marys if you want to ask anything about the clinic specifically. In terms of your funding though, I've no idea as I live in mcr so my CCG funding rules will be different from yours.
We started it off in sept 17 by me going to the GP as we'd been unsuccessfully TTC for 2 years exactly. I had 2 day 21 blood tests and a scan from the GP and my husband a semen analysis. These tests showed a low count only from husband, so the GP sent the referral in Jan 18.
St Marys sent a questionnaire back to us within a few weeks that we returned with the instructions to wait 10 days and book the female and male tests with the St Marys team (they repeat all the GP ones) these tests were done by March and we had a consultant apt through in the May where they confirmed we needed ICSI to conceive and to book a further apt with him ASAP but his waiting list for apt's was 4-6 months.
In the meantime book a seminar session where they talk about the process of IVF/ICSI to all of the prospective couples - we did this in June, and miraculously our apt came through for July. You sign all of the paperwork for IVF at the consultant apt and they talk through the protocol they have prescribed for you. On your next bleed you call the clinic to request treatment that month (if too many couples have called that week for the lab to be safe you will be delayed until the next bleed, they will delay you a max of twice I believe, but I have never been delayed).
On that bleed, they book a "teach" session where a nurse shows you exactly how to draw up and inject your medicine and you pay for the prescription (NHS charge) and you give your address details for a courier to deliver all of your medication before your next bleed. On your next bleed, you call to request treatment again and the nurses will call you back within a couple of days to confirm when you start your injections. They will give you a schedule on blood tests and scans to check your progress.
My first IVF started at the end of August, which I think was pretty quick really. I was on the short protocol so it was over and unfortunately failed by the end of September and since then I've also had a failed frozen transfer and yesterday had my last frozen embryo transferred so will be taking a pregnancy test on 31st Dec. I'm pretty tired as have been pretty much on IVF medication since the end of August!
I have found the individual nurses/doctors/embryologists at St Marys to be very kind and helpful, I've not had a bad experience with them, however the system is pretty frustrating- lots of waiting around etc. However it's a busy clinic and hospital and ultimately I'm not paying personally for the privilege as many do so I just get on with it as most would.
Good luck on your journey xx