Patients across Northern Ireland waiting to begin fertility treatment were told today they can expect to be given a start date over the next few weeks following the lifting of restrictions on the work of the Regional Fertility Centre at the Royal Hospitals in Belfast. Patients across Northern Ireland waiting to begin fertility treatment were told today they can expect to be given a start date over the next few weeks following the lifting of restrictions on the work of the Regional Fertility Centre at the Royal Hospitals in Belfast.
The restrictions were put in place in March by the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HEFA) after it was discovered that some embryos were being stored after the date for consent had passed. Mr Hugh McCaughey, director of organisational development at the hospital group, said: "We are pleased that the HEFA is now satisfied that procedures are in place at the hospital to ensure that the existing difficulties are resolved and can never happen again."
He added: "We are now in a position to start offering treatment dates to patients who would have been offered dates if there had been no restriction on our licence. Patients will be contacted in the next few weeks."
While the restrictions were in place the hospital continued to treat patients who had treatment dates and drugs, but was not able to offer dates to patients waiting to start treatment.
PA