A commitment to "introduce a publicly funded model of care for fertility treatment" was included in the Programme for Government.
Phase One of the Model of Care established Regional Infertility Hubs within maternity networks.
Eligible patients are now referred by their GPs to their local Regional Infertility Hub, to avail of a range of treatments and interventions, and if necessary, onward referral to a private provider for advanced AHR treatment as part of the publicly funded and privately provided care scheme.
Phase Two of the Model of Care focuses on publicly funded and publicly provided advanced AHR treatment.
The introduction of tertiary infertility services, provided through the public health system will launch at Cork University Maternity Hospital.
Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) incorporates Maternity, Neonatology, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Fertility Services in the Cork University Hospital Group within the Health Service Executive Southern region.
Hospital Services at CUMH are delivered within the newly established HSE South West health region, one of six national health regions.
HSE South West health region manages all public health and social care services in Cork and Kerry to deliver integrated service provision across the region by a multidisciplinary team.
The Group's Primary Academic partner is University College Cork.
A wide range of educational programmes and research is conducted within all hospital groups.
CUMH provides clinical placements for undergraduate and postgraduate student programmes delivered in partnership with University College Cork.