Royal Victoria Fertility Centre Needs HFEA Registration Before Commencing Fertility Appointments.
The Regional Fertility Centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital spokesperson has said that the centre must register with the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) first before commencing fertility treatment following the Covid 19 Pandemic.
The Pandemic has caused the clinic to cease its appointments and operations until lockdown measures are eased to a point whereby it is safe to continue such procedures.
This development comes at a time whereby patients had their fertility stopped mid-treatment causing distress amongst couples who have been trying for so long to have a baby.
A spokesperson for the Regional Fertility Clinic said: “The HFEA have taken the decision that fertility clinics can commence the process of making an application to them from 11 May 2020 onwards to restart some fertility treatments. This application will then need to be approved by them before any treatment starts.
“It is likely that this process will take some time. The service will only gradually resume at a considerably lower level, subject to the availability of RFC staff that have been redeployed to assist with the ongoing COVID crisis.
“The safety of patients and clinic staff remains a priority for us and the HFEA. Before we can resume treatment, we must demonstrate that we can provide a safe service for patients and a safe working environment for our staff that complies with recommendations from professional guidance. To do this we must have a COVID-19 treatment commencement strategy in place.
“We will contact all patients in due course who are waiting for an appointment or treatment. Meanwhile, please refer to our website for regular updates.”
Further information, including some questions and answers for patients can be found on the HFEA website at:
As of Tuesday 19th May a spokesperson for the Belfast Trust has stated that the Regional Fertility Clinic has made an application to the HFEA.
