F-2011-00177– Incidents reported to the HFEA
11 July 2011
Summary of request
The Authority was asked for information about incidents reported by centres to the HFEA during two 12 month periods (April 2009 - March 2010 and April 2010 - March 2011).
HFEA response
1) The total number of fertility treatment cycles
For both time periods the information requested is already publicly available on our website in the clinic directory ‘Choose a Fertility Clinic’ (http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/AdvancedSearch.aspx). As this information is reasonably accessible via the HFEA website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 FOIA and this part of the request is, accordingly, refused.
2) The total number of incidents reported to the HFEA during -
a) April 2009 - March 2010:
The information requested is already publicly available on our website in the HFEA’s Annual Report 2009/10 (http://www.hfea.gov.uk/146.html). As this information is reasonably accessible via the HFEA website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 FOIA and this part of the request is also, accordingly, refused.
b) April 2010 - March 2011:
564. Please note that a) this figure will shortly be published in the HFEA’s Annual Report 2010/11 and b) once processed, 17 of these did not fall within the definition of an HFEA incident as per the Code of Practice 8th Edition Guidance Note 27 as at www.hfea.gov.uk/3476.html.
3) Of those incidents referred to in question 2, how many were categorised as grade A;
April 2009 - March 2010: 7
April 2010 - March 2011: 1
4) Of those incidents referred to in question 2, how many were categorised as grade B;
April 2009 - March 2010: 306
April 2010 - March 2011: 274
5) Of those incidents referred to in question 2, how many were categorised as grade C;
April 2009 - March 2010: 145
April 2010 - March 2011: 250
6) Of those incidents referred to in question 2, how many were categorised as 'Near Miss';
April 2009 - March 2010: 15
April 2010 - March 2011: 21
7) The criteria employed to determine whether the incident was grade A, B, C or near miss
For both time periods the information requested is already publicly available on our website (http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/Compliance_and_Enforcement_Policy.pdf) in the HFEA’s Compliance and Enforcement Policy. The Policy came into force in October 2009, however, the incident grading information applies to the full time period for which information is requested. As this information is reasonably accessible via the HFEA website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 FOIA and this part of the request is, accordingly, refused.
8) How many incident reports and licence committee minutes relating to incidents listed in response to question 3 were published for review by the public and where.
Grade A incidents are considered by the HFEA’s Licence Committee, the HFEA’s policy on the publication of Committee minutes can be found at: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/1128.html . This policy came into force in October 2009. During the time periods requested, minutes of the Licence Committee consideration of two Grade A incidents have been published at: http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=109&s=l&&nav=2 and http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=190&s=l&&nav=2 respectively. This is because 3 preceded the introduction of the policy decision to publish grade A incidents and 3 incident reports were deemed by the Licence Committee to contain information that might lead to the identification of the patients who were involved, and were thus not deemed appropriate to publish.
We would also like to use this opportunity to draw attention to a statement we published last year in response to some misleading reports on the meaning of a rising number of incidents: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/5861.html
Page last updated: 16 August 2012