Ministear airson Siainte Poblach Minister for Public Health

Micheal Matheson SPA Michael Matheson MSP

FIT: 0845 7741741

E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsLgov.uk

The Scottish Government

Riaghaltas na h-Alba

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP The Scottish Parliament EDINBURGH EH991SP

Ur faidhlelYour ref: Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2011/1017889 lD October 2011

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Thank you for your letter of 14 September to Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, regarding access to NHS funded infertility treatment. I am responding as this subject falls within my Ministerial portfolio. Firstly, may I explain that, in order to provide some uniformity to infertility services, national criteria for access to Level III IVF services were developed by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) in 2000, which NHS Boards were asked to implement. Following on from this, a review of infertility services in Scotland was undertaken, to which the Government, in early 2007, recommended widening access to NHS funded infertility treatment by raising the upper age limit for treatment and updating information on timings between treatments. Whilst we do expect NHS Boards to meet current national infertility guidance, this will be informed additionally by local protocols and funding decisions. Our position on the provision of infertility services for same sex couples is clear in that we fully expect NHS Boards to comply with the law. There should be no discrimination on the grounds of race, faith, gender, identity, sexual orientation or disability. Scottish Government Ministers are fully aware that there are a number of issues concerning the provision of infertility services in Scotland, including inequity of access, and this is clearly not acceptable. That is why, last year, we established the National Infertility Group, to make recommendations to Ministers aimed at resolving these concerns by ensuring standardisation and equity of access across Scotland. Infertility experts and the patient stakeholder group Infertility Network Scotland are core members of the group. The Group is due to formally report to Ministers by the end of 2012 and recommendations made by the group will be fully considered at that time.
Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH1 3DG St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG www.scotland.gov.uk

ISVI'_'nOR IN Pt:OP[Ji

I hope this response assures you that the Scottish Government is committed to improving equity of access to infertility services for all couples, irrespective of sexual orientation.

Taigh Naomh Anndrais. Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EHl 3DG www.scotland.gov.uk