HFEA Announcement May 1st, 2020

We understand that the Covid situation can and has been difficult for patients exploring their fertility and those whose treatment has been interrupted. We hope that remaining open and being virtually available has provided some comfort or reassurance, no matter how small.

As you may have already heard, last Friday (May 1st, 2020), the HFEA made a notable announcement: from May 11th, fertility clinics can apply to reopen following the Covid-19 closures. This is, of course, really positive news for those keen to resume or start fertility services. We thought it may be helpful to outline the main points of the announcement:

• From May 11th, fertility clinics in the UK may apply to reopen by submitting an application to the HFEA. 
• The application must demonstrate that the clinic complies with professional guidance on providing a safe environment for staff and patients.
• The HFEA should respond to applications within 5 days of receipt.
• Each clinic will have their own strategy for reopening. We’ve been working hard with our partner clinics to ensure we are ready for this moment so that patients and prospective patients will be able to resume or start treatment as soon as safely possible. We have already been in touch with our existing patients.
• The reopening process will be staggered and clinics that open will not immediately resume their regular capacity.

The bottom line is that we believe that fertility clinics will start reopening within weeks, rather than within months as was previously considered. 

Also, following Boris Johnson’s latest announcement, on May 10th, we are delighted to inform you all that we will be restarting most pre-treatment screenings and donor assessments in the next few days.

We remain open six days a week and are here to help with any queries you may have regarding your fertility journey. You can get in touch with us via our contact form or by calling 0115 824 3928.