HC Deb 20 June 1994 vol 245 cc25-6W
Mr. Corbett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provision is made for(a) infertility treatment and (b) infertility investigation in each of the Birmingham health districts;

(2) what advice each of the Birmingham health districts has sought in the last three years from her Department as to the most cost-effective and cost-efficient means of providing infertility investigation and treatment;

(3) what has been the (a) revenue spend and (b) capital spend in each of the Birmingham health districts in each of the last three years for which figures are available on infertility treatment;

(4) what has been the (a) revenue spend and (b) capital spend in each of the Birmingham health districts by name in each of the last three years for which figures are available on infertility investigation.

Mr. Sackville

For information about infertility investigation and treatment in Birmingham the hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. B. Stoten, chairman of South Birmingham health authority and Dr. D. M. Skillicorn, chairman of North Birmingham health authority for further information.

The national health service provides a wide range of treatments for subfertility. Individual health authorities determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances. Advice is available to health authorities and clinicians in two publications drawn to the attention of the national health service in 1992:

  1. (a) The Effective Health Care Bulletin on management of subfertility, published for the national health service Management Executive by a consortium of Leeds and York Universities and the research unit of the Royal College of Physicians.
  2. (b) The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publication "Infertility Guidelines for Practice.

Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the provision for infertility treatment in South Manchester district health authority;

(2) whether South Manchester district health authority has sought from her Department advice as to the most cost-effective and cost-efficient means of providing for infertility investigation and treatment in its area;

(3) what provision is made for infertility investigation in South Manchester district health authority.

Mr. Sackville

For the information requested about infertility investigation and treatment in Manchester the hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Robert Boyd, chairman of Manchester health authority. We are not aware of requests for advice on this matter from the former South Manchester health authority.

The national health service provides a wide range of treatments for subfertility. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 18 May at column 520.