Couples struggling to conceive could face further obstacles as Croydon health providers consider providing IVF treatment only in “exceptional cases”.

Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has begun consulting on whether to reduce assisted conception services in an effort to plug a £30million black hole.

The CCG, which needs to make savings of around six per cent of its commissioning budget of £484.3million in the coming financial year, said it needs to make “difficult decisions.”

Assisted conception, both IVF and ICSI treatment, is one of a number of services Croydon has reviewed as part of its saving plan.

The proposals, published on its website last week, outline two options on the future of the treatment under the borough’s CCG.

Option one: No change to the existing service

This option would mean women under 39 who meet the clinical criteria will continue to be offered one cycle of IVF on the NHS as outlined in its current policy.

If the CCG went ahead with this option, it would need to explore other areas of healthcare in order to make the savings it needs to make.

Option two: Decommission IVF and ICSI services

The CCG would no longer fund IVF or ICSI services on the NHS for Croydon residents.

If the CCG takes option two forward, only people currently receiving IVF treatment and those on the waiting list will continue to do so.

There are currently 50 couples on the waiting list for IVF and ICSI.

A spokeswoman for the local health provider said: “Option [two] would however still allow people experiencing fertility problems, at any age in the reproductive range, to consult their GP and where appropriate, be referred to a specialist for further investigation and other necessary medical or surgical treatments.

“In exceptional circumstances, an application from a GP or consultant could be made to the Individual Funding Request panel.

“Each request would be reviewed by a panel made up of clinicians and commissioners from Croydon CCG who would then decide whether or not to fund the treatment based on the individual clinical circumstances of each couple.”

Richmond CCG, which similarly launched proposals on reducing IVF treatment, may also ask patients to quit smoking or lose weight before surgeries as part of the cost-cutting measures.

Consultation is underway on whether patients would require to attempt to give up cigarettes or shed weight before referring them for operations in “all but the most urgent cases.”

The consultation period for Croydon’s proposal, which opened on January 4, will close on Wednesday, March 1.

A public meeting will be held at Bernard Weatherill House, Mint Walk, on Tuesday, January 14.

For information on the proposed changes visit croydonccg.nhs.uk.

Send your thoughts on the proposal to sean.morrison@london.newsquest.co.uk