§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the availability of treatments for subfertility through the NHS; and what action she is taking to ensure the provision of a comprehensive service.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe national health service provides a wide range of treatments for subfertility. Decisions about the resources to be made available for these services must be left to individual health authorities as they are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.
Advice is available to health authorities and clinicians in two recent publications:
- (a) The "Effective Health Care Bulletin" on management of subfertility, published for the NHS
432 Management Executive by a consortium of Leeds and York Universities and the Research Unit of the Royal College of Physicians. - (b) The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publication "Infertility—Guidelines for Practice".
Copies are available in the Library.