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Members of Jersey's LGBTQ+ community were not consulted about the island's proposed new fertility treatment funding model, it has emerged – leading to a scheme that has since been blasted by experts as "biased" towards heterosexual couples.
In a public letter to the Health Scrutiny Panel chair, the Health Minister admitted that there had been "no consultation" with the local LGBTQ+ community whilst developing the proposed IVF funding guidelines that are due to launch next year.
The CEO of a local equality and diversity charity described this as "disappointing", given that LGBTQ+ islanders "are very often patients of this type of service".
Health and Community Services published the proposed new criteria for In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) funding earlier this year after politicians backed an amended proposition.
The proposed criteria for IVF funding would replace the current system that only funds the fertility treatment for couples with a combined income of less than £40,795.
Pictured: The proposed new eligibility criteria for would fund three IVF cycles for households with a gross annual income of less than £82,300.
Alongside the new financial criteria, couples must also meet a set of additional specifications to qualify for funding under the new model.
The criteria will be introduced from 1 January 2025 if it is approved by the States Assembly as part of the Budget debate this week.
But ahead of the debate, it emerged that there had been "no consultation" with the local LGBTQ+ community regarding proposed IVF funding criteria.
It comes after Express revealed that same-sex couples in Jersey are likely to face higher costs under the proposed IVF funding model – which experts say is "biased" towards heterosexual couples.
Health Scrutiny Panel chair Deputy Louise Doublet recently asked Deputy Tom Binet to confirm what consultation is taking place with the LGBTQ+ community regarding proposed IVF funding criteria.
In response, the Health Minister admitted: "There has been no consultation with regard to the proposed new criteria."
Pictured: Kaye Nicholson is the CEO of equality and diversity charity Liberate Jersey.
Kaye Nicholson, CEO of equality and diversity charity Liberate Jersey, described this lack of consultation as "disappointing".
She said: “Whilst it was disappointing that our LGBTQ+ community were not consulted as part of the proposed funded IVF process, given that they are very often patients of this type of service, we were pleased to see that the Health Scrutiny Panel and consulted stakeholders, namely Tiny Seeds and Jersey Women’s Health Hub, identified and highlighted the barriers to access for members of our LGBTQ+ community.”
The charity CEO urged the Government to consider marginalised and minority groups in similar consultations in the future.
“We hope that going forward marginalised and minority groups will be included in similar consultations, to ensure that those who face inequities and barriers to all manner of services have a chance for their voices to be heard on matters which will impact them,” she added.
Pictured: Health Minister Tom Binet admitted that there had been "no consultation" with the local LGBTQ+ community whilst developing the proposed IVF funding guidelines.
In his letter to the Health Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Binet also revealed that there are "ongoing negotiations" with UK providers about the potential to secure a reduced unit cost for IVF in light of the overall increase in public money being invested in the procedure.
The Minister also said that he would review and amend the IVF funding criteria at the end of the first quarter of 2025 in the event that costs are reduced, monitoring of the access criteria indicate they are too restrictive, or demand is below the anticipated amount.
Full details of the IVF funding proposals are available HERE.
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