This information is not heldcentrally. I refer the member to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authorityfor this information.

The Royal College of Obstetricsand Gynaecology guidelines on endometriosis have been brought to the attention ofhealth professionals through the Royal College's clinical networks in gynaecology,general practice and other health professions. Advice in the guidelines is alsoincluded in postgraduate training in gynaecology and for general practice.

I refer the Member to the answergiven to S2W-8470 on 9 June 2004 that details the criteria for access to NHS fundedinfertility treatment that NHS boards have been asked to implement.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The National Institute for ClinicalEvidence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing nationalguidance on treatments and care for people using the NHS in England and Wales.

The report of the Expert AdvisoryGroup on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) was published in February 2000.This report provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertilityservices in Scotland and it will provide equity of access to services andtreatment.

The Executive are currently reviewingthe eligibility criteria for access to NHS funded infertility treatment, expectedto be completed later in 2004, and as part of that review will look at the NICEguidelines.

The Scottish Programme for ClinicalEffectiveness in Reproductive Health (SPCERH), commissioned by the Chief MedicalOfficer, held a consensus conference in 2003 to reconsider the eligibility criteriafor access to NHS funded infertility treatment. The Executive are currently reviewingthe feedback from the conference and are also reviewing the current level of serviceprovision across NHS Scotland. If after the completion of these reviews, expectedlater in 2004, there was a recommendation to change the criteria then this wouldbe subject to a full public consultation exercise.

The report of the Expert AdvisoryGroup on Infertility Services in Scotland (2000) recommends that couples receiving management inLevel II infertility centres (specialist infertility teams in district generalhospitals) should have access to appropriate, independent counselling for couplesundergoing infertility treatment.

The services provided withinthe dedicated infertility clinics of Level II centres should include a staff memberappropriately trained to provide formal, independent counselling.

It is also mandatory that couplesundergoing assisted conception treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, as provided in the four Scottish infertility tertiaryreferral centres, are offered appropriate, independent counselling.

The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing the level of service provision of NHS funded infertilitytreatment across NHS Scotland against the expert groups recommendations. I anticipatethis review being completed later in 2004.

The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS). Evidence and Equity, was published in February 2000. The report provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility services and it will provide equity of access to services and treatment. All NHS boards have been asked to work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the report, as existing resources allow, bearing in mind local and national priorities.

One of the principle outcomes of EAGISS was to produce eligibility criteria for accessing NHS funded assisted conception. These criteria are:

·       Infertility with an appropriate diagnosed cause of any duration or unexplained infertility of at least three years duration.

·       Female partner aged less than 38 years at the time of treatment.

·       Neither partner previously sterilised.

·       Less than three previous embryo transfers funded from any source.

No child living with the couple in their home.

This information is not heldcentrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Table 1 below shows the amount of complete treatment cycles (diagnosis through to embryo transfer) that NHS boards currently fund per year (data submitted to Scottish Executive Health Department April 2004).

NHS Board	No. of IVF Cycles Provided Per Year (Approx)	No. of ICSI Cycles Provided Per Year (Approx)
Ayrshire and Arran	70	43
Argyll and Clyde	60	41
Borders	3	3
Dumfries and Galloway	33 (combined IVF / ICSI)	33 (combined IVF / ICSI)
Fife	36	20
Forth Valley	45	28
Grampian	26	23
Greater Glasgow	132	114
Highland	38	20
Lanarkshire	*	*
Lothian	135 (combined IVF / ICSI)	135 (combined IVF / ICSI)
Orkney	4 (combined IVF / ICSI)	4 (combined IVF / ICSI)
Shetland	18	6
Tayside	45	25
Western Isles	*	*

Note:

*Data not currently available.