HFEA launches first National Fertility Patient Survey

Yuba Bessaoud

Media and stakeholder relations manager, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

Progress Educational Trust

03 September 2018

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[BioNews, London]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has today launched the first ever National Fertility Patient Survey. The objective is to give the UK's fertility patients an unprecedented chance to have their say.

From 3 to 30 September 2018, we will be offering anyone who has undergone fertility treatment the opportunity to be part of this study, by giving their views on the quality of treatment, care and support they received, and how they would change it if they could.

The survey will explore a wide range of themes, including:

The degree to which people were given clear and fair information about their treatment up front
The explanations of cost and effectiveness they were given
The range of add-on treatments they were offered
The level of emotional support people were offered, including counselling
The partner's experience and the level to which they felt included during treatment

The aim of this unique study – run in conjunction with research experts YouGov – is to provide a rich insight into the IVF patient experience, and influence how we as a regulator can work with patients and fertility professionals to continually improve standards of patient treatment and care, especially in relation to emotional support.

But as with any survey of this kind, we need as many patients as possible, and their partners, to provide that insight and give us enough data to meaningfully influence both our policy and clinical practice. So if you have undergone fertility treatment, or know, work with, or come across anyone who has, please tell them about our survey. The more completed surveys we receive, the clearer the picture becomes for all of us. And as we'll be publishing the results of the survey, the results will be of interest, and benefit, to everybody interested in the UK's fertility sector.

So we are asking all the readers of BioNews to help spread the word and share the details of our survey with anyone you think might be interested in taking part, and let them know that for the first time ever the UK's fertility patients can speak with one voice about their treatment. And if they've ever wanted to give their views about their treatment experience – good, bad or indifferent – there has never been a better time than now.

The National Fertility Patient Survey Can be accessed here. All results from the survey will be made public later this year.

Reproduced with permission from BioNews, an email and online sources of news, information and comment on assisted reproduction and genetics.