In my opinion this change to the guidelines is pretty much pointless (although reasonable clinically -- success rates at older ages have increased quite a bit). It's already nearly impossible to access NHS IVF in most areas and the wait to see a specialist is about a year in our area and then a year in between appointments. I doubt it's very different elsewhere.
We paid for two rounds of IVF privately, the second successful. We were treated abroad as our consultant was honest with us and explained the treatment we needed would mean waiting at least 2 more years in the UK but would be available immediately in other countries. Although I was several years under the age cut-off when we realised there was a problem, it seemed very likely that once we'd got through the NHS delaying tactics that I'd be too old, and that was without the issue of additional waiting time for our specific treatment. It seemed insane to travel thousands of miles for a couple of outpatient procedures, but it was basically our only option other than giving up (we applied for adoption by the way...were told we couldn't be considered as we hadn't given up hope of birth children..it is a Catch 42).
However, stopping IVF on the NHS altogether would essentially be saying that only well off people with the misfortune to be infertile can do anything about it -- which would be very unfair. It would also be a great shame on the country which invented IVF.
I also think people should bear in mind that IVF is the only NHS treatment which has the potential to create future taxpayers!
What I think would be more helpful, rather than increasing the age cut off when in reality the numbers accessing NHS treatment will remain vanishing small, would be a requirement for every PCT area to have a clinic in primary care that would give neutral, evidence-based advice on fertility to those who need it, going through all the options and their costs (including pointing couples towards counselling, and adoption where appropriate). I lost count of the GPs we saw, and hardly any were helpful or even seemed to know anything about infertility, which is astonishing when you think how many patients must present with it.
I agree with the poster above that GPs & specialists should be honest about how unlikely it is IVF treatment would be provided in any timely way. However, the NHS could bulk purchase IVF services and then pass the cost onto patients, or means test? At the moment there seem to be clinics making excessive profits out of vulnerable people, a lack of quality control and it is very difficult for the layperson to know how much to spend, what treatment is best or what the true chance of success is. And that's before you even get into the fact that you can travel abroad for these treatments, at which point HFEA basically wash their hands of you.
Of course no-one has a right to have a child but surely at the very least we have the right, in a country with an NHS, to be able access impartial, honest advice and not to be denied access to a proven treatment where we meet the clinical criteria, simply because of where we happen to live.