Clinic focus

Keep up to date with developments in the sector with our monthly newsletter for clinics.

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2024

October 2024

Upcoming deadlines for stored gametes and embryos; October 2024 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) papers available; Chair’s Letter: changes to the law on screening for reciprocal IVF and known donation for those living with HIV with an undetectable viral load; Reminder: New donor compensation rates from 1 October 2024; Update to guidance on the 2024 Regulations for the storage of gametes and embryos; Choose a Fertility Clinic (CaFC) update; Summary of post inspection feedback findings; New British Fertility Society and Journal of Human Fertility podcast; Alert reminder.

October 2024 (special edition)

Changes to the law on screening for reciprocal IVF and known donors with undetectable HIV - important information for clinics who want to begin the donation process for individuals with undetectable HIV; Screening for partner-to-partner donation (referred to as ‘reciprocal IVF’); Implementing new legislation on known donors with undetectable HIV.

September 2024

There's still time left to complete the HFEA National Patient Survey! Communicating licensing, regulatory activity and incident information; Sign-up to our new data research newsletter; Alert reminders.

August 2024

Incident reporting and licence suspension; HFEA calls on patients to help shape the future of UK fertility treatment; Virus update; Latest HFEA report, ‘Fertility Treatment 2022: Preliminary Trends and Figures’, published; Our work on Artificial Intelligence, robotics and automation in fertility treatment; Reporting of outcomes; Our latest clinical governance summary report; Alert reminder.

July 2024

New HFEA Data Research Newsletter; The Transitional Period for the 2022 storage laws has ended; Updates to General Directions 0001 and 0007; Updates to General Direction 0008 and the Authorised Processes list; Updates from the HFEA’s Annual Horizon Scanning Meeting 2024; Screening for haemoglobinopathies; Our latest clinical governance summary report.

June 2024

June 2024 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) papers available.

May 2024 (published June)

Update on proposed changes to the law on screening in fertility treatment; Change to the law on posthumous storage of gametes and embryos for patients who died before 1 July 2022; 2024 PR event; Alert reminders; Guy's and St Thomas' Virtual Prenatal Genetics Short Course.

May 2024 (special edition)

Proposed changes to the law on posthumous storage of gametes and embryos for patients who died before 1 July 2022.

April 2024

Donor compensation for UK and overseas donors – new compensation rates from 1 October 2024; Storage changes: End of the Transitional Period; High Court allows clinics to re-contact donor: The importance of consent and what this means for clinics; Alert reminders; Regulation and governance of neural organoids in the UK.

March 2024

Storage changes: End of the Transitional Period; Update to Choose a Fertility Clinic (CaFC); New External Advisers appointed to the Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC); Our latest clinical governance summary report; Establishing the legal status of a marriage or civil partnership; Alert reminders; Submission requirements for GIFT.

February 2024

Requests for the date of birth of egg donors from midwives; February 2024 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) papers available; Job vacancy - Senior Inspector (Clinical); Emerging technology of human stem cell-based embryo models – POSTnote publication; Alert/Field Safety Notice reminders.

January 2024

Revised and new consent forms and guidance to consent update; Field Safety Notices (FSNs); Future of support services for donors and donor-conceived people; IUI annual data submission; New HFEA dashboard launched; FAQs for clinics on Releasing Donor Information; ‘Making it real’ workshop – 26 April 2024.

2023

December 2023

Season’s greetings; Advance notice – fee increase effective 1 April 2024; Screening requirements for partner-to-partner donation; Latest HFEA ethnic diversity in fertility treatment report published; Vacancies for HFEA Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee; Screening for partners who are not providing gametes for a treatment cycle; New HFEA dashboard available; Update on Choose a Fertility Clinic; Our latest clinical governance summary report; Job vacancies within our Opening The Register team.

November 2023

Modernising the regulation of fertility treatment and research involving human embryos – HFEA proposals for law reform; Publication of the Independent review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; Update on PRISM and the 10-family limit; Exiting PRs – What clinics and PRs need to know; New leaflets for donors and their families to prepare for possible contact with donor-conceived individuals; HFEA Electronic Invoice Service; October 2023 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) papers available; Professional guidelines on best practice use of artificial egg activation.

October 2023

New ratings for treatment add-ons; Government announces the law will be changed relating to partner donation and gamete donation from those who have HIV with an undetectable viral load; Home insemination kits; Important reminder about Donor Consent Withdrawal; 2023 PR event; Job vacancy - Scientific Inspector.

September 2023

Important reminder about consent to storage; Opening the Register (OTR) support resources, and a reminder about clinics releasing non-identifying information to donors; Update to the 9th edition of the Code of Practice; Consent forms must not be completed before their official publication date.

September 2023 (special edition)

Background; How are we supporting clinics? Who can access Register information; How applications are processed; What is the HFEA doing to prepare for the increase in applications?The role and responsibilities of clinics; New FAQs for clinics; Further information.

August 2023

Survey on post-donation support services now open; Use of the WCS form to withdraw consent to storage (WCS); Update to the 9th edition of the Code of Practice; Our latest clinical governance summary report; Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week 2023.

July 2023

International donors and the 10-family limit; The HFEA's process for contacting donors; Change of HFEA bank details; Update to the 9th edition of the Code of Practice; Update on PRISM and CaFC; Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week 2023.

June 2023

Storage without use in the event of mental incapacity; Storing research material at treatment and storage; Counselling qualifications and competencies; February 2023 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available; ‘Fertility Treatment 2021: Preliminary Trends and Figures’ report published; Guy's and St Thomas' Virtual Prenatal Genetics Short Course.

May 2023

Screening requirements and quarantine periods for donor eggs, or embryos created from them; Interim inspections and the Desk-based assessment (DBA) process; Register audits recommencing in the coming months; Update on PRISM and CaFC.

April 2023

International Donor Conception Awareness Day; 30 June 2023: Deadline for clinics to contact patients needing to give or renew consent to storage during the Transitional Period; Clinics’ role in the Opening the Register Process; Update to the Code of Practice; Job vacancy – Scientific Inspector; Our latest clinical governance summary report.

March 2023

Modernising fertility law - HFEA consultation open until 14 April 2023; Job vacancy - Regulatory Policy Manager; HFEA Alerts; Authority meeting: 22 March 2023; ‘Making it real’ workshop – 19 May 2023.

February 2023

Modernising fertility law - HFEA consultation opens next week, 30 June 2023: Deadline for centres to contact patients needing to give or renew consent to storage during the Transitional Period, Update on PRISM, CaFC and the end of the bedding in period, CE-marked devices in GB can be used after 30 June 2023 – No action required, How to best comply with the HFEA policy on compensating overseas donors, Update to the Code of Practice 2023.

January 2023

Releasing identifying donor information; Authority Meeting - 25 January 2023; Looking ahead: treatment add-ons review and the launch of our consultation; Our latest clinical governance summary report.

2022

December 2022

Season’s greetings, ‘Trends in Egg, Sperm and Embryo Donation’ report, September 2022 Treatment Add-ons Working Group (TAG) meeting summary, October 2022 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available, STOP OHSS trial

November 2022

IUI annual data submission, PRISM Update, Authority meeting: 16 November 2022, Donation Report

October 2022

PR event 2022 – next week, Posthumous surrogacy and the revised WT consent form published on 1 July 2022, Authority meeting - 14 September 2022

September 2022

PR event 2022, Competition and Marketing Authority compliance review of fertility clinics, Preventing laboratory incidents, Publishing clinic success rates, Screening requirements relating to Standard Licence Condition T52

August 2022

June 2022 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available, Our latest clinical governance summary report, Consultation for NICE guideline on fertility problems: assessment and treatment, PR event 2022, CQC/HFEA Regulation - Centres based in England only

August 2022 (special edition)

Further documentation to support centres in implementing storage changes, Editable Statutory Notices and new Statutory Notice, Clinic Guide, Ongoing support, Information videos

July 2022

Additional clinic drop-in sessions about storage changes, PR event 2022, Authority meeting: 19 July 2022, PRISM update

June 2022

Clinic drop-in sessions about storage changes, PR event 2022 - save the date, High Court case judgement on posthumous embryo use, Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) membership update, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week, Our latest clinical governance summary report

June 2022 (special edition)

New storage laws – Clinic Portal updates, Obtaining consent from patients and donors due to have procedures on or after 1 July 2022

May 2022

New Storage Laws Information on the Clinic Portal, Whistle blowing, Impact of COVID-19 on Fertility Treatment 2020 report, Authority meeting: 18 May 2022 - GD 0014 revoked

April 2022

Amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology 1990 Act - New statutory storage periods to be introduced from 1 July 2022, Proposed Amendments to the HFE Act, National Patient Survey 2021, Information about our Choose a Fertility Clinic (CaFC) resource, Resumption of unannounced interim inspections, Treatment add-ons information survey for clinics, January 2022 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available, Counselling qualifications and equivalence, Our latest non-compliance summary report

March 2022

Changes to treatment fees, Authority meeting - 9 February 2022, Secretary of State appoints new Members to the Authority, Update on PRISM and General Direction 0005 (Collecting and Recording Information), CMA seeking views from the fertility sector, Your views on sharing and receiving bad news in fertility care

February 2022

Multiple births in fertility treatment report published, Reminder: Using social media to encourage more patient feedback for renewal inspections, November 2021 Treatment Add-ons Working Group (TAG) meeting summary, Electronic consent, Our latest non-compliance summary report

January 2022

Health and Care Bill: changing the storage limits for gametes and embryos, Updates to our treatment add-ons website information including ERA, Authority meeting - 9 February 2022, Vacancies for HFEA Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee Members, Job vacancy – HFEA Head of Research and Intelligence

2021

December 2021

Season's Greetings, IUI annual data submission, Updated Anonymised Register has been published on the HFEA website, Billing invoice information, October 2021 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available

November 2021

2021/21 State of the Sector report launched, The HFEA 30 Years On: What Needs to Change, Updated Clinic Portal FAQs, Licensed Centres’ Panel membership recruitment, Preparing for the increase in donor information applications in 2023, Using social media to encourage more patient feedback for renewal inspections, Counselling provisions reminder, Our latest non-compliance summary report

October 2021

Advice regarding shortages of CE marked medical devices, New online application form for Special Directions, National Patient Survey launches 2 November 2021, Our next Authority meeting - 24 November 2021, 2021 PR event postponed

September 2021

PRISM is now live, Guidance regarding the blood tube shortage, Clinic marketing materials, Update to the PREP test, Donor Information Service review, Safe sedation practice for healthcare procedures, Updated Anonymised register published on our website, Job vacancy in our Information management team, Second National HFEA Patient Survey, Could you be a Fertility Network UK (FNUK) Clinic Ambassador, There's still time to join our working group

August 2021

PRISM update - cutover dates, 10-family limit - additional checks to be made by clinics, Screening requirements for women who provide eggs, or embryos created with their eggs, for their partners treatment, Code of Practice: 2nd update to the 9th edition, Donor waiting times by ethnicity on Choose a Fertility Clinic (CaFC), Applications now open for our new Patient Engagement Forum, Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) looking to appoint IVF/fertility specialist, June 2021 Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC) minutes and papers available

July 2021

Updated COVID-19 FAQs for clinics, Update to the 9th edition of the Code of Practice, Update to WC form - version 10, Our latest non-compliance summary report, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS virtual study week

June 2021 (regular monthly edition)

HFEA backs new consumer law and advertising guidance for IVF clinics, Reporting requirements for freeze all criteria affected by the pandemic, Reminder of our treatment add-ons information updates, Our latest non-compliance summary report

May 2021

Fertility treatment 2019: trends and figures, Acceptance of the new Standard Licence, Revised ‘Compliance and Enforcement’ policy – active from 1 June 2021, Delay to PRISM launch, 2020 clinic audit of treatment add-ons, Job vacancies within our OTR team, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS virtual study week, Terminology change - preimplantation genetic testing

April 2021

Reminder to return offer licence acknowledgement forms, Julia Chain takes up her role as new HFEA Chair, New consent form for use from 1 June, Legal parenthood, New patient information on complementary and alternative therapies, CE-marking of plasticware used in laboratories - 'Oosafe', Information and guidance on treatment add-ons, HTLV screening reminder, The VALUE study survey - a snapshot of add-on provision across the UK

February 2021 (regular monthly edition)

Updated data on Choose a Fertility Clinic tool on the HFEA website, Updated treatment add-ons website information for patients, Clarification on calculating storage periods for gametes and embryos, IUI annual data submission, Reporting medicines and medical devices to the MHRA, Inspection update, High demand for the Opening the Register service, Our latest non-compliance summary report

January 2021

PRISM launch update, We want your views on the Code of Practice, New members appointed to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, The VALUE study is looking to interview clinicians and embryologists, Our latest non-compliance summary report

2020

December 2020

Consultation on new Compliance and Enforcement Policy, Code of Practice Update 2021: Clinic survey, Compliance with treatment add-ons information, Export of gametes and embryos for surrogacy abroad

November 2020

The new HFEA inspection strategy, EU exit - preparations for the end of the transition period, CMA consults on draft consumer law guidance for fertility clinics, State of the Sector report, The HFEA is moving office

October 2020

Opening the Register and Donor Sibling Link services reopened, Consumer law guidance for fertility clinics, PRISM release candidate launch and training, Placing conditions on donation, Donor waiting times - reminder, Our latest non-compliance summary report

September 2020

Family formations in fertility treatment report, PR Event 3 November 2020, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS virtual study week, Our latest non-compliance summary report

August 2020

PR event 2020, Positive COVID-19 reporting, Updates around the responsible use of treatment add-ons, Restarting HFEA inspections, Disclosure of medical records of a deceased patient, Donor alerts and external donor banks, Our latest non-compliance summary report

July 2020

Fertility treatment 2018: trends and figures, Updating clinic data on the HFEA Register, Donor waiting times on Choose a Fertility Clinic (CaFC), EU exit

May 2020

General Direction GD0014 (version 2), Storage limit extension during COVID-19, our full formal response to the DHSC consultation on storage limits, Opening The Register (OTR) and Donor Sibling Link (DSL) service changes, BFS virtual study week

March 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - advice, inspections, donor forms and storage

February 2020

Competition and Markets Authority project into the IVF sector, Focussing on medicines management non-compliances, Coronavirus update, Department of Health and Social Care public consultation on gamete and embryo storage limits

January 2020

Release of new Person Responsible Entry Programme (PREP) test and Code of Practice learning programme, Our latest non-compliance summary report, EU exit

2019

December 2019

Updated Code of Practice is now available, IUI annual data submission, Treatment add-on traffic light rating update

November 2019

Encouraging learning from inspections, Choose a Fertility Clinic update now live, Donor Conceived Register update, Code of Practice update reminder, Survey on the application of assisted hatching

November - Special edition

This special edition of Clinic Focus advises on the updates to the Code of Practice which come into force in December 2019.

October 2019

New: track your clinic's consent to research on the Clinic Portal, Patient support and leadership, Person Responsible key behaviours and role description, The London Fertility Show, Safe sedation guidance

September 2019

Updating your clinic emergency contact details, EU Exit guidance, Electronic methods for taking consent and updated General Directions 0007, Are you keeping your clinic details up to date on CaFC?, Safe sedation practice for healthcare procedures, Patient support workshops, We're going to the London Fertility Show

August 2019

Choose a Fertility Clinic data update - deadline extended, Updates to the Code of Practice, New FAQs for clinics available on the Portal

July 2019

London patient support training workshop registration closed, Storage period for imported gametes, Clinic leadership update: PR role description and prep test, HFEA 2019 annual conference presentations now available, Accreditation of medical laboratory tests, EU exit update, Code of Practice reminder

July - Special edition

This special edition of Clinic Focus announces the opening of registration for the HFEA patient support training workshops

June 2019

HFEA annual conference, PR leadership events, New resources to help you improve patient support in your clinic, Review of common non-compliance areas, Licensing correspondence is changing, Zika update

June - Special edition

This special edition of Clinic Focus announces the close of registration for the HFEA Annual Conference.

May 2019

HFEA Annual Conference is nearly sold out, BFS study week coming soon, HFEA strategy 2020-2023 - we want your views, Latest fertility trends report, Storage consent - are you getting it right?, EU exit update

May - Special edition

This special edition of Clinic Focus announces the opening of registration for the 2019 HFEA annual conference

April 2019

Registration opening soon for HFEA conference, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week, Patient ratings on the HFEA website, Spotlight on treatment add-ons, Time Lapse Imaging Trial

April - EU exit extension special edition

In the recent Special Edition Clinic Focus we updated on planning for a no deal scenario on 12 April. An extension to Article 50 has been granted until 31 October 2019 with the option to bring this forward if a deal is ratified earlier.

March 2019

Save the Date! HFEA conference 2019, Fertility Forum for patients, We're going to the Manchester Fertility Show, Joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week, Donor Conceived Register (DCR) and Opening the Register Support, Zika update, Researching the experiences of gamete donors and their families.

February 2019

Annual conference dates announced, Fertility Forum, Improve patient support in your clinic, joint BFS/HFEA programme at BFS study week, Manchester Fertility Show

February - EU exit special edition

As the regulator of the fertility sector we want to support you in your preparations ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU. We recognise that this will impact differently on you depending on your type and size of clinic.

January 2019

Treatment add-ons, Postponement of the 2019 HFEA annual conference, Revised consent forms, Implementation of new donor screening requirements, Patient support, Private Prescribers of Controlled Drugs: For action

2018

December 2018

Brexit, New Code of Practice update, HFEA's first PR leadership events, HFEA annual conference, BFS study week.

December - State of the Sector special edition

In this special edition of Clinic Focus we wanted to give you an advance look at our second annual state of the fertility sector report and the results of the first ever national fertility patient survey.

November 2018

New Code of Practice update, Supporting you to support your patients, The PGD review is now complete.

October 2018

Changes to Choose a fertility clinic, New requirements for the screening of gamete donors have come into force, Leadership within the fertility sector, Freedom of Information (FoI) - incidents, Code of Practice update, Electronic consent.

September 2018

New release date for the Code of Practice, National fertility patient survey, New egg freezing report published in September, EU technical notice, Update on EU Directive 2015/566 regarding Import certificates, Consent and the posthumous use of gametes, Blocked donor alerts, HFEA Zika virus guidance - current status as of August 2018.

August 2018

Code of Practice 9th edition, Help improve our Donor Conceived Register, Celebration of 40 years of IVF, Cook Medical’s Soft-Trans Embryo Transfer Catheter, Good clinical practice for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products.

July 2018

Celebrating 40 years of IVF, Our national patient survey is underway, PRISM update, Update on the EU Directives on Import and Coding

June 2018

Is your clinic providing excellent patient support? New HFEA website and privacy policies, New HFEA business plan is published, Sign up to receive the new version of Clinic Focus, LCP membership recruitment.

May 2018

Get ready for our new data submission system, Sign up to continue to receive Clinic Focus, There’s still time to give us your comments on the new Code of Practice, Your help needed for a new HFEA report on egg freezing, Compensating overseas donors, Clinic Alert - Field Safety Notice: Cook Medical: Medical device recall, Update on the implementation of the EU Directives on Import and Coding, Access to EDI and clinic portal applications

April 2018

Coming soon: Consultation on changes to the Code of Practice, The PGD audit is now complete, The 2018 HFEA annual conference, Improving OHSS reporting, Make sure you are on the list to continue to receive Clinic Focus

March 2018

Registration for the Annual Conference is still open, Are your clinic details on the HFEA website up to date? New fertility trends report to be issued in March, Update on the implementation of EU Directives on Import and Coding, We’re going to the Manchester Fertility Show, Two new patient leaflets, New verification tool added to the patient ratings feature on CaFC,

February 2018

Annual conference registration now open, New HFEA data submission system, Help us to shape the new Code of Practice

January 2018

Update on the implementation of two EU Directives, Clinic Focus is changing, There's still time to have your say on the next edition of the Code of Practice, Your role in advancing research - can you help? Annual Conference 2018 - save the date.

2017

December 2017 edition

New report indicates a sector that's open to feedback and continuous improvement, Coming soon: Change to the law on parental orders, Save the date, The 2018 HFEA Annual Conference, Have your say on the next edition of the Code of Practice, New data submission system is making good progress, Catch up with the latest news from the Clinic Portal Knowledge Base.

November 2017 edition

Encouraging your patients to rate your clinic, We’ve updated our ‘Getting started’ guide, New State of the sector report to be published later this month, New HFEA Facebook page launches during fertility awareness week

October 2017 edition

The Code of Practice has been updated, Your chance to have a say on involving patients in research and clinical innovation, New data submission system gets the thumbs up from clinic staff, Improving the opportunities for embryo research, There's still time to get involved in the PGD workshop

September 2017 edition

Code of Practice: October 2017 update, Helping you encourage patients to rate your clinic, Help shape the next edition of the Code of Practice, Finding out whether an EU fertility clinic is licensed, Patient blood tests: Checking laboratory accreditation.

August 2017 edition

Encouraging patients to complete the new treatment add ons survey, Patient ratings - how you can help, Recommendation for preventing transmission of Hepatitis A, October 2017 update to the Code of Practice, Posthumous birth registration (PBR) form FAQs, Catch up with the latest news from the Clinic Portal.

July 2017 edition

Our new website, Choose a Fertility Clinic, Patient ratings, Future developments, What should you do now?

June 2017 edition

New outcome statistics on Choose a Fertility Clinic, Our new website and CaFC will soon be live, update on the implementation of two EU directives, Add a photo of your clinic to Choose a Fertility Clinic, RCN publication on fertility preservation.

May 2017 edition

Allegations about the fertility sector, New information for transgender people seeking fertility treatment, New guides to help with the consent process, Updated Code of Practice, Come to our Authority meeting, Are you making the most of the new Clinic Portal?

April 2017 edition

Our best annual conference yet! New release date for the Code of Practice and updated consent forms, Infectious disease update, The new website is coming! New survey for your patients, We've published our 2017-2020 business strategy.

March 2017 edition

The 2017 annual conference is almost here, Update to Chair's letter CH(17)01, Getting to grips with the new Clinic Portal, Improving embryo research, An update on the launch of the 'live' version of the website and CaFC.

February 2017 edition

Annual conference registration now open. The new Clinic Portal is live, April 2017 update to the Code of Practice.

January 2017 edition

New Clinic Portal goes live, Our historic decision on mitochondrial donation, Update on the new EU Directives on import and coding.