We hold contracts with North Central London (NCL) and North West London (NWL) Clinical integrated care systems (ICS) to provide IVF funded by the NHS. We apply to the ICS for funding on an individual patient basis. The ICS informs us how many cycles the couple are eligible to have. This differs for each ISC.

NCL ICS consists of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington boroughs. NWL ICS consists of Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Brent, Ealing Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster boroughs.

Your ICS depends on which GP you are registered with. We are not able to provide IVF for couples with a ICS outside NCL and NWL so it is important to make sure you are referred to the correct hospital to avoid delay.

The following eligibility criteria must be met for both ICSs:

  • Body mass index (BMI) between 19-30 (inclusive).
  • Both members of the couple must be non-smokers (NWL ICS stipulate that they must have been non-smokers for at least 6 months)
  • Neither partner may have had a sterilisation procedure in the past
  • There must be no children from the current relationship (NWL ICS stipulates neither partner may have a child, including those from previous relationships)
  • Treatment must take place before the females 40th birthday (for patients that belong to NWL ICS) or 42nd birthday (for patients that belong NCL ICS). Please consult with your GP or contact your ICS regarding the number of cycles you are entitled to as they will vary after your 40th birthday.

If patients do not meet their ICS’s criteria then NHS funding is not available to them and therefore we cannot offer them treatment. If their BMI is outside the accepted range or they are smoking they will be discharged from clinic and their GP asked to re-refer them when they meet the criteria.

Funding from the ICSs for IVF in our unit is as follows:

North Central London:

  • Under 40: 6 embryo transfers from a maximum of 3 stimulation cycles
  • 40 – 42: 2 embryo transfers from 1 stimulation cycle

North West London:

  • Under 40: 1 fresh cycle and 1 frozen cycle

  • 40 – 42: No funding

Please note that this is an indicative description and is not exhaustive on the eligibility criteria applied. There are further stipulations on minimum ovarian reserve and previous self-funded (private) cycles among others. NCL and NWL policies are publicly available so please refer to them for full details.

We are unable to treat patients that do not belong to one of the above ICSs, those patients should be referred to the hospital with whom their ICS holds a contract. You can find out in which hospital you can have treatment from your GP or by calling your local ICS. Please be aware that if you move house or GP from an area covered by one ICS to an area covered by another it may affect where you are eligible for treatment, and how many and what kind of treatment cycles you are entitled to, again your GP or the appropriate ICSs will be able to advise you on this.