FERTILIS is a group of independent IVF clinics in the UK formed in response to the coronavirus pandemic to collaborate and represent the independent fertility sector. Today they issued a statement in response to the government announcement on Saturday:
“We welcome yesterday’s statement from the HFEA that fertility clinics can remain open during the new lockdown. We wish to reassure our patients that they are able to continue with their treatment in a safe environment at this anxious and difficult time.
Fertility clinics in the UK have made every effort to be Covid secure, implementing extensive measures to protect patients and staff according to national guidelines. All our clinics have carried out risk assessments and adopted tailored strategies and procedures for treating patients during the pandemic, including compliance with social distancing requirements and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
We note that the HFEA has recommended consideration of a ‘freeze all’ approach to higher risk patients. This was already a factor in our strategies and will remain an option going forwards where appropriate.
We will continue to monitor the situation at our clinics and have established a committee which will meet regularly throughout the period of the lockdown to keep the evolving situation under regular review and make recommendations about any additional steps that may be required.
This is a joint statement from more than 60 licensed and satellites clinics which have joined forces to work together in exchanging their experience to ensure that safe practices are communicated and shared amongst all colleagues for the safety of patients and staff.”
The group includes senior representatives from, but not limited to, ARGC- Assisted Reproduction & Gynaecology Centre, Bourn Hall Fertility Clinics, Care Fertility group, The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy and the University of Oxford (OXRM) and the Reproductive Health Group, The Fertility Partnership group, GCRM, The London Fertility Centre, London Women’s Clinics, Nurture, NewLife Fertility, The Reproductive Genetic Institute, Thames Valley Fertility, Wessex Fertility and Manchester Fertility.
