NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) has launched a six-week public consultation on proposed changes to local fertility treatment policies, running from 3 June – 15 July 2025.
Currently, there are ten separate policies for Cheshire and Merseyside, which means that eligible people have varying access to NHS-funded fertility treatment, depending on where they live.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, the organisation which is responsible for planning local health services, is proposing to replace these policies with a new, single policy. This would mean that in the future, people across Cheshire and Merseyside would get the same access to NHS fertility treatment.
As part of the policy, it is proposed that one cycle of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is funded for those who are eligible. Currently, between one and three cycles are provided on the NHS, depending on which part of Cheshire and Merseyside people live in.