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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| £1.5m to aid fertility services | £1.5m to aid fertility services |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| An additional £1.5m is to be spent annually on improving fertility services in Northern Ireland. | An additional £1.5m is to be spent annually on improving fertility services in Northern Ireland. |
| It is hoped the extra funding will lead to waiting times for patients due to begin IVF being reduced from 18 months to one year. | It is hoped the extra funding will lead to waiting times for patients due to begin IVF being reduced from 18 months to one year. |
| The annual boost comes after a one-off investment of £800,000 in recent months to reduce waiting lists. | The annual boost comes after a one-off investment of £800,000 in recent months to reduce waiting lists. |
| Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said current funding had provided for more than 400 cycles of treatment per year. | |
| Mr McGimpsey said: "The extra recurrent funding I am providing will ensure that, going forward, no-one who qualifies for publicly funded treatment will have a waiting time of longer than a year, and should allow a move towards increasing the number of cycles of treatment." | |
| I don't think one is enough because if you're depending on that one cycle it puts an awful lot of pressure on you for it to work IVF patient | I don't think one is enough because if you're depending on that one cycle it puts an awful lot of pressure on you for it to work IVF patient |
| Currently, women in Northern Ireland are only allowed one free cycle on the NHS - unlike England where in most trusts women are entitled to three. | |
| One woman, who is currently waiting to be told when her treatment will begin, told BBC News she thought this was "very unfair". | One woman, who is currently waiting to be told when her treatment will begin, told BBC News she thought this was "very unfair". |
| "I don't think one is enough because if you're depending on that one cycle it puts an awful lot of pressure on you for it to work. | "I don't think one is enough because if you're depending on that one cycle it puts an awful lot of pressure on you for it to work. |
| "I think it should be at least three like they have in parts of England - we should be brought in line with them." | "I think it should be at least three like they have in parts of England - we should be brought in line with them." |
| The names of patients will now be contained on one regional waiting list. | The names of patients will now be contained on one regional waiting list. |
| This will ensure equality of access to all Northern Ireland residents, according to the Department of Health. | This will ensure equality of access to all Northern Ireland residents, according to the Department of Health. |
| Treatment is limited to those with a medical cause for infertility and in general couples must have been trying for a year to be diagnosed as having fertility problems. |