Hi just wanted to say to anyone going though fertility treatment. It’s always worth checking your maternity policy at work.
I didn’t realise that I was entitled to a weeks paid leave for fertility treatment. ( I work for the nhs )
Always worth checking xxx
I work for the NHS also, but only entitled to 3 days 
xx
Hi, was this for the egg collection/transfer period? I work for the NHS too, but have been informed there isn't any information about IVF or leave x
Have a look under the special leave policy. Thats where I found my fertility entitlement xx
I think different trusts have their own policies, but definitely worth checking! Search for it yourself on your intranet pages, might just be your manager is not aware of it. It might be under special leave perhaps🤞
I work for the NHS and I'm not allowed anytime unless it's annual leave or unpaid leave. The differences in the policies is crazy! X
Our policy is rubbish at my NHS Trust. You have to take any time off as sick and then sickness management is at managers discretion. Once I’m all done I’m going to talk to them about changing it in the hope it benefits other people but too much on my plate at the moment. I’ve asked HR for help with fertility related leave a number of times and got nowhere. Definitely written by people who have no clue! I’m glad your trust sounds a little more understanding and progressive xx
This is the exact for my trust! I've also asked HR a number of questions, to which I've not been able to get any answers for!
I work in the NHS too and have had to make all my time up for scans and had to book annual leave for egg collection and transfer. First cycle I self certified for 7 days after collection. It took me over my Bradford score so had to go to a meeting with my manager and HR. I took my union rep with me. Technically any sickness taken after embryo transfer is classed as protected due to discrimination, so they can't do anything about it and it doesn't count towards Bradford score. My last cycle was last July but due to covid I had to have 2 weeks isolation then consequently I had 2 weeks annual leave as was supposed to go away, so I had 4 weeks total. This cycle due to start in middle Jan, I have to take 10 days isolation and have had to use annual leave for the rest of the time. Im debating whether to call in sick after embryo transfer as there's nothing they can do after that point.
My manager shows no discretion at all!
Hi Charlie I hope you don't mind me asking but what is the Bradford score? X
The Bradford score is what the NHS uses to score sickness. It works by multiplying episodes by episodes by days.. In our Trust the score is 150 and of this is breached, you have to attend meetings with HR and manager. Hope that helps xx
Thank you xx
Where did you read this on the intranet ?
It was under the special leave policy at my trust. With compassionate leave and carers leave. I hope you find something 🤞 does not seem like all trusts have got one.
Ah yes my manager mentioned the special leave part. She’s failed to give me any yet though. But I will for sure to take it. ☺️ Xx
It was called ivf leave. I just looked it up myself as my manager was not aware of this policy, I just happened to come across it. There was a form I had to fill in to apply for this ivf leave. I needed more leave anyway than my ivf policy would give me due to my clinic needing us to isolate around all treatment. So I still ended up taking some annual leave too, but it did help. My managers have been great with it all though and so supportive. Good luck ☺️
Ah that’s interesting I’ll have a look into that. May I ask which trust you are in? Doesn’t matter if you don’t want to share xx
Your entitled to special covid leave aswell 3 weeks b4 egg transfer, you need risk assessed and if needed adjustments made to enable you to work in low risk covid areas, phone occupational health and get their advice aswell...
I work for the NHS but I was told there was no policy for IVF by HR so it must be different all over.xx
Thank you for sharing. My workplace has no IVF policy - I’m currently working to change this. I can’t believe the law doesn’t protect us. If employers don’t have a policy in place, they are within their rights to refuse us time off for necessary appointments. This must change!
I work for the nhs too and we get a weeks special leave per year which can include family emergencies and health appts so have been able to use that for my ivf appointments. Have been lucky as they’ve been very supportive so far 😀 x
I wonder if it is possible to share the IVF policy for your trust? Essentially everyone who works for the NHS should be covered by the same polices, as we are all employed by the NHS. It’s just how different trusts interpret issues/items. For example my Trust has absolutely no IVF policy & I have to use annual leave
Definitely worth checking regularly for changes to policy. I am NHS too and I've had 4 rounds of ivf where there was no ivf policy but last July they introduced some! I was so happy I cried as it will just help a little with sickness record. Not that I should care but I do. I usually get signed off or self certify which affects my Bradford score of course. It was in the maternity leave policy ironically slap in the face 🤣 lol.
Does laparoscopy alone check fallopian tubes
NHS IVF policy
Getting tubes checked 
1st scan to check lining 
First lining check scan - 7mm 
