Seven day diagnostics supporting fertility services University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Foundation Trust Poster from the 'Delivering NHS services, seven days a week' event held in Birmingham on 16 November 2013 More information about this event can be found at http://www.nhsiq.nhs.uk/news-events/events/nhs-services-seven-days-a-week.aspx

1. 7 Day Diagnostics Supporting Fertility Services
Rationale for the service change
Patient survey responses indicated that provision of a weekend service would enhance patient satisfaction. Staff were
aware of the benefits for patients and the improved outcomes if scientific services were available over seven days.
Working seven days a week accommodated an additional theatre list and enabled extended embryo culture to occur
over seven days.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF), requires patients to attend for daily scans and blood tests to monitor follicular development. It is
not possible to predict the exact day a patient will be ready for egg retrieval, therefore, if a patient was not ready for
theatre on either of the fixed operating days, a Monday or a Wednesday, a patient might be compromised by having to
wait for the next operating list.
Extending culture allows selection of the embryo with most potential and consequently improved outcomes for patients
Aims of the service change
•Improve patient outcomes
•Improved utilisation of equipment
•Increased activity capacity
•Greater flexibility of staff rotas
•Increase income generation
•Improve quality of service
•Increase patient satisfaction
•Increase patient choice
Outcomes measure of the service change to provision over seven days
•Improved the quality of care – feedback from patient questionnaires
• Improve clinical outcomes – improved pregnancy rate
•Offer greater patient choice –Offering Saturday Clinic appointments and
weekend treatments
• Reduced cancelled treatment cycles – Offering additional operating
sessions
• Reduced risk – Improved scheduling of patient egg collections
•Reduced complaints –Improved patient satisfaction and improved patient
experience
The philosophy of the Leicester
Fertility Centre is to provide
patient centered care, this was
demonstrated by the unity of the
team, each individual was
committed to ensuring all patients
had the best possible chance of
taking home a baby.
Leadership contribution to the change
Strong leadership was critical to the success
of the project
Empathetic listening created an atmosphere
of caring and respect. Giving the team
ownership was vital.
Patient quotes
‘We had been trying for a baby for 6 years, if the clinic wasn’t open over a weekend we wouldn’t have got pregnant’
Sue and Dave M
‘We had our embryos transferred on a Sunday and we can’t thank the staff enough for making us so happy, our dream of being a
family has come true’
Nikki and Jon
Jane Blower
Consultant Embryologist
Scientific Director NHS EM