NHS Wait time for IVF

[pandapopk]

Has anyone had NHS funded IVF?
How long has the wait been from referral to completion?

Trying to understand if i can afford waiting for referral or if we should crack on privately!

@pandapopk my GP referred me in September and still haven’t heard about an initial consultation. I have decided to go private straight away - but I am a little older and it would only be one round funded by the NHS I would get if that. When I asked my GP what she would do - she basically said if we could afford it go private. It might be worth speaking to a few clinics?

I waited about a month for my first consultation but then everything after happened really speedly. I think its all very dependent on where abouts you are. I'd just ask your GP what the wait is like. Good luck x

Personally I think The waiting times between appointments and test are far too long , I would say 18/24 mths via nhs

So variable place to place. Years for some, a couple of months for others. I would get in touch with your local clinics and ask. Private is almost certainly quicker in most cases but how much quicker will vary. Good luck.

been waiting 14 months since the first gp referral, just waiting waiting application process to start for the funding. It’s a long journey, been trying +3 years now, no pregnancies at all.

@LF82 @LuC22 @Sha7n @Shyquiet Do you mind me asking you all where you are based? I know it can vary so much by CCG and location. Seems a pot luck as it if it is quick or slow!

@pandapopk im near Manchester. I started the process in August and was able to start a treatment cycle in November. Im now 4 weeks pregnant 😊. Id just speak to your gp about how long the wait is

Omg congratulations :) xx

Thats very luck @LuC22 … spoke with our GP 14 months ago, got referred to fertility clinic, and still waiting them to put together application for the local ICBs for IVF (previously called CCG). Quite sure they ‘lost’ us one point. Feeling very low about the whole NHS process now.

@pandapopk I am in Manchester, got referred by GP in September, got a phone call from the referral team to ask what hospital I would prefer & heard nothing since….
@LuC22 that’s amazing! Congratulations!

@LF82 @LuC22 this year I’ll be ours !! Things crossed for you both x

@pandapopk congratulations !!! That’s super quick !!

anyone in Herts/beds have any experience in local wait times?

I’m East Midlands

Referral Jan 2022 by GP. First appointment at fertility clinic March 2022. Referred for IVF by May 2022. Had first IVF appointment June 2022. On first cycle now but that’s because of a delay because of another referral and tests, if everything had been straight forward, I bet I would have started cycle August/September time. Once referral happened it was pretty quick!

That’s really good @Lauralozzle! I think it’s luck of the draw based on your postcode!

I'm East London:
• referred for IVF in August 2020.
• Intial consultation at fertility clinic Jan 2021
• Ivf started October 2021 - cycle failed.
• we were then reassessed Jan 2022 to see if we would qualify for another round which we did.
• second cycle due to start in April 2022 which was cancelled indefinitely due to staff shortages
• that particular clinic is still not offering ivf until January 2024

We ended up going private in May 2022 did a 3 cycle package of embryo banking and am now 26 weeks pregnant. And due to have my baby in April.
I was 33 when I was referred for NHS ivf and would be 37 by the time I would get to my second round.
Obviously it is a postcode lottery but if you can afford it I would go private.
Even without the long wait, I found there was a one size fits all treatment system. So depending on what your fertility needs are , the nhs may not even treat you appropriately.