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<p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question
in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with
the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The level of provision of local health
services, including fertility treatment, available to patients is, and has been since
the 1990s, a matter for local healthcare commissioners, who must consider the needs
and priorities of all their population. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have
the current statutory responsibility to commission high-quality services that meet
the needs of their local population. Decisions about treatment should always be based
on patients’ clinical needs.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">The Secretary of State has no power to direct individual CCGs
in relation to their commissioning functions. The Department has no role in the oversight
of individual CCG board activities. If there are concerns about provision of care,
we expect NHS England to ensure the CCG is not breaching its statutory responsibility
to provide services that meet the needs of the local population. Where performance
concerns are identified, NHS England has the ability to exercise formal legal powers
to either provide an enhanced support to a CCG, or in rare circumstances to intervene
where it is believed that a CCG is failing, or is at risk of failing, to discharge
its functions.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">NHS
England has advised that the CCGs in south east London have agreed to undertake a
rapid review of the NHS South East London’s Treatment Access Policy Document in relation
to access criteria for funding in vitro fertilisation (IVF) by the end of November
2019. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The
CCGs have made a public apology for any offence caused by the wording in the Treatment
Access Policy Document in relation to single women’s access to IVF treatment and the
review document it refers to and agree that this wording is unacceptable. The statement
on page 34 is based on evidence from a review of literature undertaken in 2011 by
commissioners and public health doctors. The review references literature available
at the time.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The
rapid review will also specifically consider issues relating to equality and discrimination
in relation to single women. The CCGs will publish the review alongside any changes
to the revision of the policy.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">NHS England and NHS Improvement are aware that the CCGs are undertaking
a review of the policy, as the body responsible for that policy. All CCG governing
bodies were asked to review and approve any changes to the NHS South East London Treatment
Access Policy made for 2019/20.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">In taking clinical decisions about fertility treatment and taking
account of their public sector equality duty, CCGs should make assessments based on
clinical infertility and not on relationship status.</ins></p>
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