Appointment with NHS

[mojitoito]

Hi all! Sorry, this might be a dumb question, but we are Americans and don't fully understand the NHS system! My husband and I had our initial consultation with the NHS (Scotland) last week, and the doctor said that someone would be in touch with us when we reach the top of the waiting list for IVF - he estimated a 9-12 month wait (uff....). But today I got an appointment letter in the mail for mid-September - but it doesn't specify what the appointment is for. I'm sure we're not already at the top of the list, so does anyone know what this might be for? Could it be for additional testing? I already gave the doctor my AMH results. Thanks ahead.

[Sorax]

It sounds like it will be with a consultant to discuss ivf. We had ivf on the nhs and had to do lots of testing so could be for that aswell good luck xxx

[Cinderella5]

It will be for a scan for you, check for partner....maybe even a semen analysis. They'll probably want to do their own AMH bloods and all of yours. Its pretty common to have this done prior to you getting to the top of the list.....I had NHS treatment in Scotland too.xx

[SandD2020]

Hi I'm American and I wasn't entitled IVF through the NHS even with a British husband we went private.

I wasn't aware until we got further into testing.

Make sure you ask, unless you two are permanent residents? I wasn't at the time that's why I wasn't entitled

Good luck though xx

[mojitoito in reply to SandD2020]

oh really? I had no idea that was the case. the doctor didn't mention that on our initial consult last week. We have also had a consultation with private, so I'm sure we will end up going that way considering the waiting time with NHS, and now this is more reason. good to know about this, though, thanks for letting me know! no, we are not permanent residents.

[SandD2020 in reply to mojitoito]

I'm in England it's probably the same in Scotland.

Yes for some reason nobody told us!!

All the testing was done through the NHS but the actual IVF was not covered. This happened last year by the way.

If we would have known we would have gone private right away.

But I'm definitely grateful for the NHS for all the testing prior to us going private.

Definitely get in touch with them to make sure xx

[Ivfgotadream in reply to mojitoito]

I’ve also heard this too. If you are not a British citizen you aren’t entitled to NHS IVF. If your husband is British then you still aren’t entitled to treatment as 99% of the treatment is centred on the woman. If you are a British citizen and your husband isn’t then you CAN have treatment. But confusing! But it’s also irrelevant If you pay tax/national insurance contributions it all boils down to citizenship.

Anyway to answer the original question there are so many appointments it will just be another one to probably take a couple of blood tests and then to talk through the process and then book in for the next lot of scans. Each scan has a different appointment you have to wait to come through the post/book in for which is really what takes the time up!

[Twiglet2]

Hey 👋🏼 NHS Scotland here. The first appointment we had through was for testing in summer 2016 After going to the docs (Feb 2016). Then they sent our results to GRI ACS. After that we got a consultation a few months later with the ACS (autumn 2016) and discuss which treatment we need (IUI, IVF or ICSI) And put us on that waiting list, which is likely the 9-12 month one you doctor was referring to. We then got to the top of that about 9months later (mid 2017) more tests Form filling etc and then started Winter 2017. So from time going to the docs until actually starting a cycle it was about 1year 8months. Hope that helps With timescales etc. Xx