Firstly, as the Deputy will be aware, the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to the St Vincent’s University Hospital campus will be underpinned by a legal framework. The overall objective of this legal framework is to ensure that the new hospital will remain in State ownership, and that health services at the new hospital will be provided without religious, ethnic or other distinction or ethos. As such, I am satisfied that there will be no question that any services in the new NMH, including IVF (once available in the public health service) or surgical sterilisation, would be prohibited based on religious beliefs or the ethical code of the hospitals concerned.
On the specific issue of the provision of IVF in the public health system, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce the model of care for infertility. This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary. It will comprise three stages, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., Regional Fertility Hubs) and then, where necessary, tertiary care (i.e., IVF and other advanced assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments).
Phase One of the roll-out of the model of care has commenced and involves the establishment, at secondary care level, of Regional Fertility Hubs in maternity networks. Four such Regional Fertility Hubs were established last year at Cork Maternity University Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital, the NMH, and the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital. Additional funding has been allocated this year to establish the final two Regional Fertility Hubs.
Phase Two of the roll-out of the model of care for infertility will see the introduction of tertiary infertility services, including IVF, in the public health system. However, Phase 2 will not commence until such time as infertility services at secondary level have been developed and the Assisted Human Reproduction legislation is commenced.
Finally, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible, with an update in relation to the provision of surgical sterilisation procedures in the public health system.
