Bourn Hall IVF clinic near Cambourne is taking part in a 'clinic pledge' to help patients juggle work and fertility treatment.
Fertility Network UK's Fertility in the Workplace scheme already offers guidance to help employees be more supportive of staff undergoing fertility treatment, and the new clinic pledge urges IVF clinics to be more responsive to patients' constraints.
A survey conducted by Fertility Network UK and Fertifa found that 75 per cent of those interviewed said their work was strongly impacted by fertility challenges, and more than a third (37 per cent) said they received very little or no support from their employer.
The survey also found 40 per cent of employers do not have a fertility policy.
Claire Heuclin of Fertility Network UK said: "Now we are proud to announce our new initiative specifically for clinics and their patients.
"As the UK’s leading patient-led fertility charity, along with the expertise from Bourn Hall Clinic, we can provide insights to clinics based on patient experiences and offer recommendations on how they can become more supportive of their own patients as they navigate their fertility journey alongside workplace commitments."
The clinic pledge asks fertility centres to do the following:
- Raise awareness of Fertility in the Workplace support services by signposting patients to online resources.
- Consider small operational changes such as online appointments and a choice of communication methods to help patients work around their workplace constraints.
- Demonstrate best practice by implementing a fertility policy in the clinic and subscribing to employer workplace support and education packages.
In collaboration with Bourn Hall, a tool kit has been developed that can help other clinics create bespoke fertility policies.
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Dr Thanos Papathanasiou, CEO and medical director of Bourn Hall, said: "We believe that a more flexible approach will benefit both patients and clinics.
"It will reduce the stress, particularly for patients who have restrictive work patterns, such as teachers and shift workers, and improve the patient experience and their ability to access treatment.
"We are delighted to pioneer this initiative with Fertility Network UK and to share our experiences with others to promote best practice."
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