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The politician behind a push to provide more financial support to islanders struggling with the cost of fertility treatment has raised concerns that the Health Minister's amendments to her proposition will result in a "reduced offer for patients".
Deputy Tom Binet has proposed amendments to Deputy Lucy Stephenson's proposition calling on the government to reform the existing funding model for IVF treatment to align with clinical guidelines used in the UK.
The Health Minister has suggested that new criteria for financial support for IVF treatment should be developed in consultation with the public before any changes to the funding model are made.
Pictured: Deputy Lucy Stephenson is calling on the government to reform the existing funding model for IVF treatment and align funding with clinical guidelines used in the UK.
Deputy Stephenson, who has personal experience with infertility and IVF and is a founding governor of a fertility support charity, is calling on the States Assembly to request that the Council of Ministers commit to improving funding for IVF treatment in line with UK clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Her proposition also aims to ensure that such funding is included within the proposed Government Plan 2025-28.
The NICE guidelines recommend funding three full cycles of IVF for women aged under 40, or one full cycle of IVF for women aged 40-42.
However, in an amendment to Deputy Stephenson's proposition, the Health Minister suggested developing new access criteria and consulting on costs before aligning funding with NICE standards due to the high costs associated with IVF and pressures on healthcare services.
Pictured: Health Minister Tom Binet emphasised the need for careful consideration before committing to funding IVF services aligned with NICE guidelines.
Deputy Binet said that these criteria would determine whether to fund up to three IVF cycles for all infertile individuals under 40, or for select groups, potentially limiting the number of funded cycles to manage costs.
"In so doing, we will ensure that any IVF service funded by the Government accords with good clinical standards, even if it does not provide up to three publicly funded IVF cycles for all people," he said.
The Health Minister added that a business case will be presented in the 2025 Government plan, outlining increased funding for the new access criteria.
States Members will then have the opportunity to decide whether to approve the proposed IVF funding provision or propose further increases in funding.
Pictured: Deputy Stephenson's proposition (left) compared to Deputy Binet's amendment (right).
Deputy Stephenson is concerned that patients will receive a "reduced offer" without this evidence-based guidance.
She said: "I am concerned that the Minister's amendment seeks to remove the clinical, evidence-based guidance from NICE from my proposition.
"This is especially disappointing given that in October the Health Advisory Board heard that the senior leadership team at Health and Community Services had agreed to adopt NICE guidance as the default position for clinical guidelines.
"The clear intention of the amendment is to allow the Government to come up with a reduced offer for patients, the details of which are currently unknown.
"It also appears to suggest that the means-tested system could be 'replaced' rather than 'removed' which concerns me.
"Infertility is a disease and Jersey does not means test for any other healthcare."
Pictured: Deputy Lucy Stephenson is calling for improved funding to assist islanders struggling with the high costs of IVF treatment.
Deputies Stephenson and Binet both agree that the current means-tested funding model for IVF treatment is outdated and needs to be replaced.
The current funding threshold of £40,795 is set at such a low level that no one has ever qualified for it, with even a couple earning the minimum wage with a household income of £42,386 being ineligible.
In addition, Jersey is the only place in Europe to means-test for IVF support.
The procedure is also the only healthcare treatment in the island that is subject to such financial testing.
Consequently, many islanders requiring fertility treatment are often forced into debt, with some borrowing from family and friends or having to choose between owning a home and having fertility treatment – an issue compounded by the cost of living crisis.
Deputy Stephenson's proposition is due be debated in the States Assembly next week.
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