New members wanted for the HFEA’s Patient Engagement Forum

Click here to fill out the Patient Engagement Forum registration form

Established in 2021, the PEF is made up of a pool of people, including patients, partners/co-parents, surrogates, intended parents, donor-conceived people and parents of donor conceived people. Members stay on the forum for two years and we are now looking for a new group of members.

Members have the opportunity to share their views and experiences and may also get involved in creating content or speaking at events. Over the last two years, members have participated in several activities, including:

• Shaping the new HFEA dashboard
• Testing the National Patient Survey
• Shared ideas for fertility law reform
• Shaping the HFEA’s updated treatment add-ons rating system
• Contributing content for the HFEA’s blog and social media channels

Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA, said: “As the UK fertility regulator, we make sure clinics and research centres comply with the law. A key element of our work is to provide free, clear, and impartial information about the various types of fertility treatment available at UK clinics.

“We know that people’s experiences of fertility treatment differ based on their individual circumstances, and it’s crucial that this is considered as part of our work. That is why we established the PEF in 2021 – to inform what we do, complement our Patient Organisation Stakeholder Group (POSG), and give you a voice.

“Our current members have been important to our recent work, and I want to thank them for their contributions. We look forward to welcoming our next group of members in the new year.”

Registration is open until 20 December 2024, click here to complete the registration form.

Ends

About the Patient Engagement Forum:

There are certain eligibility criteria applicants needs to meet to join the forum. For example, patients need to have undergone fertility treatment in the UK during one of the following time frames:

• Planning to undergo, or considering, treatment in the next three months
• Currently in treatment
• Had treatment in the last two years

Donor-conceived individuals need to be over the age of 18 as of 1 January 2025.

These time frames are set to ensure that the experiences and feedback we receive are representative of the current fertility sector.

Members of the forum do a two-year term, with membership for our next group beginning in January 2025 and ending in December 2026.

To find out more about the Patient Engagement Forum, please click here.