10 things to be mindful of:

1. Familiarise yourself with the Code of Practice, consent forms and Directions, and start using them from 1 October. Make sure staff are aware of changes and patient information is updated, where necessary.
   
   We have developed a guide to help you with the changes, found at www.hfea.gov.uk/get-ready
2. The Welfare of the Child now also applies to IUI centres, and these centres must start using the guidance in the Code, and the Welfare of the Child questionnaire, found on the HFEA website.
   
   The Welfare of the Child guidance note also includes new guidance about how to understand supportive parenting.
3. Costed treatment plans. New HFEA guidance states that centres should provide a costed treatment plan. Centres should develop their own costed treatment plan template, and decide who will discuss this with patients.
   
   We are working with the British Fertility Society in the development of a costed treatment plan template.
4. Consent to disclosure for research. From 1 October, patients have the opportunity to consent to disclosing identifiable information about their treatment for the purposes of research.
   
   The role of clinics will be to collect this consent and to inform the HFEA.
5. Storage of embryos and gametes. The Act allows gametes and embryos to be stored for 10 years initially. This can be extended 10 years at a time, up to a maximum of 55 years.
   
   There is now new criteria for extended storage. Centres should familiarise themselves with these new provisions, and the appropriate consent forms.
6. Donor conception. Clinics must now encourage parents to tell children of their donor-conceived origins. Clinics must respond to donors requesting information about offspring.
   
   Both patients and parents can have all non-identifying information about donors.
7. Staff accreditation. Heads of seminology and embryology labs should be HPC accredited. Healthcare scientists should be HPC registered within one year of eligibility.
   
   Counsellors should be BICA accredited or working towards such accreditation.
8. Consent to research and training. Embryos can now be donated for training (under a treatment licence). Patients and donors can consent, in general, to being contacted about participating in gamete and embryo research.
9. Cooling off period. Embryos can continue to be stored for 12 months after a gamete provider withdraws consent to continued storage. Centres should have procedures for referral to mediation and counselling.
10. Checking ID. Donor and self-referring patient ID always to be checked. Patient and donor ID to be checked when giving or withdrawing consent.