Our fertility service is based at Homerton University Hospital. We offer personalised care and fertility treatments to families and individuals.
We provide counselling to all people starting treatment, our counsellors will support you before, during, and after your treatment where you’ll be able to talk through your options and concerns.
Fertility services at Homerton Healthcare are open
Contact your GP to be referred to us.
Following the suspension of fertility services at the Trust in March 2024 by the HFEA, Homerton carried out full independent reviews into the causes of the three incidents which occurred in the Fertility Centre during 2023. The reviews’ findings were shared with both the HFEA and the patients affected by the incidents. The HFEA reinstated the Centre’s licence to operate in August 2024.
The Homerton Fertility Clinic reopened last year under new leadership, and following a thorough assessment, the HFEA reinstated its licence. Our adherence to high clinical and regulatory standards is under constant internal governance and external assessment by the HFEA and is in compliance.
The HFEA Licence Committee recently agreed that an interim inspection report following an unannounced visit to the Centre in March this year was "very positive and encouraging, noting that there were no areas of practice that required improvement".
We continue to work closely with the HFEA on developing our services to its satisfaction.
After undergoing a comprehensive continuous quality improvement programme, including an external peer review, the Centre has been gradually reintroducing its full range of fertility services from the beginning of this year. A special priority has been placed on supporting patients whose treatments were disrupted during the temporary closure.
As part of this continuing quality improvement programme, the Centre has implemented several key enhancements under new leadership to ensure the highest standards of care, safety and efficiency for patients. These include:
· Streamlined Patient Journey: Improved processes to enhance the flow of care throughout the patient journey.
· Strengthened Governance: A refreshed governance structure now provides robust oversight of quality and safety metrics.
· Updated Procedures: Revised standard operating procedures and laboratory protocols, including enhanced witnessing measures and stricter infection prevention practices.
· Staff Training: An updated training and competency framework to support ongoing professional development.
· Advanced Systems : Implementation of improved tracking systems to ensure greater accuracy and accountability.
· Upgraded Equipment: Investment in equipment.
· Enhanced Communication: Improved multidisciplinary collaboration through initiatives such as refreshed safety huddles.
These web pages give an overview of the assisted conception techniques offered by Homerton Fertility Centre.
We hope this information will help you to be better informed on some of the complex issues that any individual or couple face before starting fertility treatment.
We provide the following services:
More information on our services
Please ask your doctor about what funding you are eligible for as not all of these treatments are funded by the NHS.
If you’re concerned about your fertility or would like to be referred to Homerton for fertility treatments, please see your GP for advice and a referral options.
We will ask you to attend for tests before we see you for a consultation. This is to make sure we have all the information we need and so you get the most out of the consultation. . Baseline tests may include blood tests, pelvic ultrasound scan, and semen analysis.
Once we have received all your results, an appointment will be made for you to see a doctor or specialist nurse to plan your treatment. If you are seeking treatment as a couple, it’s important that you both attend the appointment.
You will need to attend our patient information evening before any treatment can start. This is where we review the steps in the treatment process, explain the risks and problems that may occur and explain the next steps you need to take to start treatment. It is important that you attend this and understand the information contained in it. If you’re seeking treatment as a couple, both partners will need to attend the information session. You’ll still need to attend even if you have had IVF elsewhere, as the treatment at our clinic may be different from what you have experienced before. It also gives you an opportunity to ask general questions about the treatments.
The information sessions take place online on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. We also hold quarterly patient information sessions for LGBTQ+ patients.
Patient information sessions dates and details.
Following your first 'new patient' appointment you will be sent consent forms to sign. This allows to share information about your planned treatment. They will be sent via text with an electronic link from Fertility Consents (they will be sent to both partners if you’re seeking treatment as a couple). It is important that you complete these forms before your next appointment as we will not be able to see you without them.
All our patients are routinely asked to complete a ‘Welfare of the Child’ Form’. This is a requirement of the HFEA (the UK’s independent regulator of fertility treatment) ‘Code of Practice’.
Most people require at least three appointments – a new patient appointment, a one stop appointment, and a nurses pretreatment appointment. These are detailed below:
An appointment will be made for you to see a specialist nurse, who will take your history and perform your initial tests. If you’re seeking treatment as a couple, it’s important that both partners attend all clinic appointments.
The aim of the one stop appointment is to review your history, blood tests, make the treatment plan and get ready for the next steps.
A follow-up appointment will be arranged where your results will be discussed. Further testing is arranged if needed, and and the options for treatment discussed and arranged.
This appointment normally involves a transvaginal ultrasound scan for the female patients. You can still attend the appointment and have your scan if you are menstruating. To have your scan, you need to have an empty bladder and you must remove any tampons or menstrual cups. The scan should not take any longer than 10 minutes and is not painful for most patients, however some patients feel some slight discomfort.
Please note: We have a diverse team of clinicians and nurses and you could be seen by a male or female doctor during your appointment.
Funding for your treatment will also be discussed, and treatment specific consent forms will be given. These should be completed via the online platform before your next appointment. Please note that we will not be able to progress your treatment until we receive the completed forms.
Closer to the start your treatment, you will be seen by a nurse to complete the checks needed and review your treatment consent forms. This is usually within 3 months of your one stop clinic appointment. This appointment covers your treatment plan in depth and you will receive a booklet to help guide you through.
Depending on the type of treatment you are having, we may need to arrange further appointments.
Our data shows our current success rates from live births and clinical pregnancies.
Along with our success rates, we provide comparison with the national averages, as published by the HFEA Our success rates have been validated locally and have been calculated from data that has not yet been verified by the HFEA.