IVF patient fears Catholic takeover will affect quest to become a mum
Moments before going into surgery, Hayley Deniss was told about a potential disruption to her IVF care.
Women undergoing IVF treatment in Newcastle are concerned about the potential impact of Calvary Health Care's takeover of two private hospitals in the region. The Catholic-run provider has stated it will not allow IVF procedures, elective abortions, voluntary assisted dying, or gender reassignment surgeries if the takeover is successful. The takeover is still pending approval from the NSW government and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Hayley Denniss, a single woman with three chronic health conditions, has been struggling to start her own family. After four years of IVF, she underwent her third egg collection at Newcastle Private Hospital on October 29. Just moments before the procedure, she was informed that the future of IVF services at the hospital was uncertain due to Calvary's refusal to offer IVF.
Calvary Health Care, which plans to take over 14 hospitals nationwide after Healthscope went into receivership, operates on a Catholic code of ethics. The provider has confirmed it will not conduct IVF collections, elective abortions, voluntary assisted dying, or gender reassignment procedures at any hospital it acquires. For Ms Denniss, this uncertainty has been disheartening, as she feels the need to finish her successful IVF process.
Hunter IVF, a fertility service operating adjacent to Newcastle Private Hospital, has assured its clients that its business will continue despite the takeover. However, concerns remain about where surgical procedures, such as sperm procedures, will take place, as Calvary does not own Hunter IVF's embryo lab or clinic.
The pending sale of the two hospitals has raised concerns about access to women's and community healthcare in regional NSW, where many patients travel long distances for specialized care. The NSW government has vowed to work with other providers to ensure service continuity, but the intervention in private hospital sales could potentially put more community health services at risk. Calvary Health Care maintains that the takeover will provide greater stability for the hospitals, their employees, and the community.
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