Care Fertility has been shortlisted for the EFS Best LGBTQ+ Patient Experience Award 2026 for our Integrated LGBTQ+ Fertility Excellence Pathway — a programme designed to embed inclusive, identity-affirming care across every stage of the fertility journey.
Beyond policy statements
Many healthcare organisations commit to LGBTQ+ inclusion in principle. At Care Fertility, we have worked to make it auditable in practice. The pathway moves inclusion from statement to standard operating procedure, with ratified documentation embedded across clinical teams, governance frameworks, and patient communications.
Key components of the pathway include: proactive fertility preservation for transgender patients prior to gender-affirming treatment; inclusive documentation processes that embed affirmed names and pronouns from first contact; dedicated coordination for shared parenthood, reciprocal IVF, and LGBTQ+ surrogacy; structured workforce training; and active community engagement including Pride visibility events.
What patients say
"From the moment we made contact, every single person made us feel genuinely seen, supported and embraced. Care Fertility Manchester didn't just meet that expectation, they exceeded it in every possible way. Thanks to their unwavering dedication, we were overjoyed to welcome our beautiful son, Toby, into the world in October 2024." — Ian, Ben & Toby
"From our very first appointment, we have felt completely seen and supported as a same sex couple and have been treated the same as any other family. We will forever be thankful to Care Fertility for the role they've played in growing our family." — Roo & Holly
Systemic change, not one-off initiatives
What distinguishes this programme is its governance foundation. The pathway is reviewed through mechanisms including fertility preservation uptake data, donor and surrogacy utilisation trends, patient satisfaction themes, and training compliance. It evolves in response to legislation, community feedback, and staff learning — ensuring it remains current, not static.
Relevant to partners
For referring clinicians, professional networks, and potential partners, this pathway signals Care Fertility's readiness to support the full diversity of families seeking treatment. Commissioners, GP practices, and gender services can be confident that patients they refer will receive identity-affirming care that meets their specific clinical and emotional needs.
This is Blog 2 of 6 in our series celebrating Care Fertility's EFS Fertility Care Award 2026 nominations. Read the full series on the Care Fertility Partnerships Blog, or get in touch if any of these programmes or nominations are relevant to your work — whether as a partner, commissioner, educator, or journalist.
