Infertility unit’s bid to help employees
By Olive Carterton
The world’s first IVF clinic, Bourn Hall, is joining forces with a charity’s Fertility in The Workplace (FiTW) initiative to help employers support staff experiencing fertility struggles.
Nearly eight out of ten (78%) people who have experienced fertility issues told Fertility Network UK they viewed fertility support or a fertility policy as very important when they were considering a new job or employer.
Dr Thanos Papathanasiou. © Bourn Hall
Clinic medical director and chief executive Dr Thanos Papathanasiou is confident Bourn Hall can help raise awareness of infertility and how it is treated.
He said while it was important for employers to make adjustments to support their staff, there was also a role for fertility clinics to be more supportive of people balancing treatment with work.
Their help was needed so patients could keep ‘under the radar’ and not disclose their treatment if they wished.
And he wants clinics to recognise the need for more flexible appointments and protocols to minimise the impact on a patient’s working day.
‘We talk to patients who don’t want to jeopardise their careers, so they are trying to make appointments and inject hormone medication in secret – all the while balancing a rollercoaster of emotions from hope to despair.
‘Additionally, some types of work can evoke emotional triggers. We see patients in professions such as teaching, midwifery and the police, where they work closely with children, often in distressing situations – and their managers have no knowledge of their personal trauma.’
Understanding the stress
FiTW co-ordinator Claire Heuclin said that flexibility to attend appointments and promoting greater understanding of what fertility treatment involves were two practical ways a fertility policy could help employers provide a more supportive working environment and retain staff.
‘If employers and managers are aware of what fertility treatments involve and what the outcomes can look like, they can better understand the associated stress and can create safe spaces for staff to talk in confidence.’
The FiTW initiative provides education and support packages to employers to help them develop pragmatic fertility policies that work for them and their staff, as well as providing effective signposting and well-being support.
It also offers one-to-one support to employees so they understand their workplace rights and how to approach their employer.
Until March 2025, due to Department of Health funding, these support packages are provided free of charge to small and medium enterprises across England.
Fertility Network UK is also part of a Workplace Fertility Campaign Group convened by MP Nickie Aiken, who hosted a drop-in event for MPs at Westminster to raise awareness of the issues.
Dr Papathanasiou was there to provide insight into the clinical side of fertility treatments and Bourn Hall’s work with FiTW.
Ms Aiken is promoting a private members’ bill, Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill, which would give employees a legal right to take time off for fertility appointments.