Share your views on our plans to restrict access to male vasectomy and female sterilisation

Part 1: Introduction

We are proposing to stop funding male vasectomies and female sterilisations in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) in all but exceptional cases.

Vasectomies and sterilisations are both surgical procedures that provide long-term contraception.

We are making these proposals in the context of our financial challenges, which result from an unprecedented demand for services in B&NES and a changing, growing population.

In order to comply with our duty to live within our means and be able to continue providing services to patients in urgent need, we have had to think about where we might make changes to services to save money.

Early in 2017 we stopped providing gluten-free foods on prescription for people with coeliac disease, and over-the-counter medicines for short-term ailments. We are also part of a consultation across the South West that is looking at who should be eligible for non-urgent patient transport.

The changes we have made so far have helped us strengthen our financial position, but we are still facing a possible deficit without taking further action. This has led us to consider restricting other non-urgent services.

Please read this information before filling in the survey. It gives more information about the reasons behind our proposals.

You can fill out an online version of this survey here:
The closing date for filling in this survey is Wednesday 27 December 2017. Please fill it in and share your views on our proposals. Anything you tell us will be shared anonymously.
If you have any questions about this survey, please email .
This survey can be made available in a range of languages, large print, Braille, or on CD/tape. To request an alternative format, please contact Daisy Picking at or on 01225 831861.

Part 2: Survey

1. Which of the following applies to you:

 I am a member of the public in Bath or North East Somerset

 I am a health or social care worker

 I am from the voluntary sector

 Other (please specify):

2. Are you a resident of B&NES? (Please note: these proposals would only affect B&NES residents)

 Yes

 No

3. Which area of B&NES do you live in?

 Bath

 Keynsham

 Midsomer Norton

 Somer Valley

 Radstock

 Chew Valley

 Other (please specify here):

4. Do you understand why we are proposing to introduce these restrictions?

 Yes

 No

5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with our proposal to restrict male vasectomies in all but exceptional circumstances?

 Strongly agree

 Somewhat agree

 Neither agree nor disagree

 Somewhat disagree

 Strongly disagree

6. What sort of circumstances do you think should be exceptional?

7. To what extent do you agree or disagree with our proposals to restrict female sterilisations in all but exceptional circumstances?

 Strongly agree

 Somewhat agree

 Neither agree nor disagree

 Somewhat disagree

 Strongly disagree

8. What sort of circumstances do you think should be exceptional?

9. Please tell us any thoughts you have about our proposal to restrict access to NHS-funded vasectomies and sterilisations. In particular, whether you think we are considering the right things, and if not, what you think we should be considering.

10. Would you be affected by the proposed changes to these services?

 Yes

 No (if no, go to question 12)

If yes, how would you be affected?

11. If you were unable to access NHS-funded treatment for vasectomies or sterilisation, would you be able to pay for the treatment yourself?

 Yes, straight away

 Yes, but it would take some time to save for

 No

 I’m not sure

12. Do you have any suggestions or thoughts about ways the CCG can make financial savings over the coming years?

Part 3: Equality and diversity information

It's really important that we ask a diverse group of people for their views about our plans.

To check we are aware of particular issues and needs of different groups in the community, we ask people to give us some information about themselves. This information is completely anonymous.

  1. What is the first part of your postcode?

 Prefer not to say

3. Is your gender different to the gender

that you were assigned at birth?*

 Yes

 No

 Prefer not to say

*Transgender is an umbrella term for people

whose gender identity in some way differs from

the gender they were assigned at birth.

  1. How would you describe your ethnic group?

Ethnic origin is not about nationality, place of birth or citizenship. It is about the group to which you perceive you belong. Please tick the appropriate box below:

Asian or Asian British:

 Indian

 Pakistani

 Bangladeshi

 Chinese

 Any other Asian background

(please specify here):

Black or Black British:

 Caribbean

 African

 Any other Black background

(please specify here):

Mixed or multiple ethnic groups:

 White and Black Caribbean

 White and Black African

 White and Asian

 Any other mixed background

(please specify here):

Thank you very much for sharing your views with us.

We will review all of the feedback we get and use this to help inform how our plans develop.

We will share details of the feedback in late January.

If you have any questions about this survey, please email or call 01225 831800.

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