Harley street fertility clinic, Devonshire place

[Hamera]

Anyone trying to get pregnant, please do not use this clinic. You are better to pay somewhere else than this place, I started my fertility treatment here,it was a disaster . The timings were all wrong, they had no idea what they were doing. Not only did I not get pregnant, I was left out of pocket at triple the cost that should have been a third of it. THey dont mention the extra payments until the final bill, then you get the shock. It's disgusting, how they manipulated me into this. So please read the bills and ask them about the money each time. They don't do any checks either which is very suspicious.
Please use a different clinic if possible

[liquid1]

I have also had a negative experience with HSFC. If possible please use a different clinic. They are highly expensive and do not have their own lab. I also got the impression that they were not effective with timings.

[Pocket1]

I'm really sorry to hear both of your stories, I had an amazing experience at this clinic - as have other friends i've recommended.

I'm now 20+ weeks pregnant thanks to the amazing team who tirelessly worked to help me through my treatment.

If you're not happy, you should speak to the team there. I honestly believe they would whatever they could to help.

[Viv77]

To Hamera and Liquid 1 I'm so sorry to hear you had a bad experience at this clinic but thank you for sharing your experience for us newbies.

I've recently just signed up to HSFC after attending a number of open evenings at different clinics and for me this is the one I liked the best.

I'm due to start treatment in April with them and when I was signing up they failed to mention at the open evenings that the lab is somewhere else which I really did not like and it's making me have second thoughts now.

I'm new to all of this but did not think they were very thorough when signing up as they didn't even weigh me. Maybe this is not relevant and is the way things are done but suffering from PCOS apparently this is a huge contributing factor (not that overweight by much) so thought they would like to take that into consideration with my treatment.

Pocket1 I'm glad to hear you had a good experience and I would really appreciate it if you could explain in a bit more detail.

We are due to handover just like yourself a large sum of money that was very hard to come by and just want to know we are making the right decision.

[Pocket1]

Viv what is it you'd like to know?

[Viv77]

Congratulations Pocket 1 on your pregnancy and sorry for the late reply I've just seen your response today when I logged in.

Ideally I would like to hear your experience from start to finish but I know that would probably take too long.

I am just so nervous about the whole process and don't know if its just me. Was you put at ease from your initial consultation or as things progressed and you could see that they were really doing 100%. Did you find you could always speak to the doctor when you wanted to and were costs more or less what you were quoted at the start.

Did you get pregnant first time around or did it take a couple of goes with the same clinic I know I'm getting a bit personal and if you don't wish to answer that's fine. The reason I'm asking is to me hearing that a couple go back to the same clinic for the 2nd or 3rd time around says that it's worth sticking with that clinic as they can see they are doing all they can.

[Pocket1]

Viv I will pm you

[Luckystarfour]

Hamera and liquid1 would you mind sharing more details about your negative experiences? It would be helpful to know as I am about to embark on a second round of treatment with HSFC and as with Pocket I really experienced a fantastic level of support across November and December when we cycled. Dr Venkat could not have been more accommodating and sensitive to our needs as we had had a very negative experience during three failed cycles with another large clinic.

Our last cycle with HSFC failed and even still I can honestly say they couldn't have done any more for us! Hence our reason for returning.

I understand I you felt at times things were a little chaotic - this clinic is realitvely new and finding its feet but their personal attention to detail for us was 1st class. Not all information appears to be presented in one leaflet etc but any question asked is answered any hour of the day. Dr Venkat even answered questions about my meds at gone midnight and she genuinely does care!

We weren't very impressed with the LFC arrangement and hence this time we will be utilising one of their other partnering hospitals Lister to have collection and transfer. Viv 77 although I was concerned thy the hospital wasn't on site it is literally around the corner and it actually made me less anxious walking around the corner after egg collection and realising that you won't 'break' and life can resume after this minor op.

I have been through 4 failed cycles now due to complex factors on my husbands side and I can honestly say that without the support of this clinic last cycle I was starting to loose faith.

Pocket met me on this forum and we actually met at HSFC it's the only time I have found a friendly support group trough the clinic. I will be cycling at the end if April Viv77 when are you due to be? Happy to be a cycle buddy ;-)

[Luckystarfour]

Oh I meant to add, do feed back all positives and negatives as they are a clinic who welcome all feedback to excel in their services

Also meant to add that a quick look at the tables show that HSFC is still the highest success rates above ARCG and that's raved about and are far more expensive! I found HSFC noire expensive than any other clinic.

Cycles alway coat more than the 4-5k that the media report, our la due to extra procedures have always cost between 10-13k! ARCG would be higher than this for us!

[Luckystarfour]

Any other HSFC ladies out there? It would be lovely l hear your thoughts?

[Adamuk]

Hi guys, my name is Adam me and my partner are patients at HSFC we can't believe what we are reading, we have wanted a baby for many years and been to many clinics and have to say that Dr G Venkat and her team in our eyes are amazing, we went there a few months ago for a consultation and they was so welcoming caring and professional, we had a very long consultation, with the DRs and they outlined every possible detail, we came from Birmingham to visit the clinic, they worked around our busy diary, after the consult, we had bloods taken and all the tests needed, myself and partner had semen test all there on the same day, which was fine and great, everything was in order we even got to see the sperm for ourself under the microscope it was really cool, our surrogate also had her tests on the same day and scan, she had her coil removed, and was put on the pill, we then filled out a form for and egg donor, and with 2-3wks the clinic had found us some to go through, we selected one who unfortunately pulled out a week later, we then found another egg donor, and she responded really well with the treatment and so did our surrogate, there now both ready, and our egg collection is tomorrow morning, we are so excited:) I will let you all know how she gets on and how many mature eggs we get, but so far everything has been great, I we couldn't recommend the clinic enough, they are very hopeful and honest they was very on the ball with tests, bloods, treatment and scans, and very precise with consent forms, also why visiting the clinic on many occasions, we have scene many happy people leaving there with positive pregnancy tests, scans and even twins I'm very sorry for the people that didn't have a nice experience there and I would say to anybody considering clinic to just go there have a consultation and make your mind up from there xxx

[Adamuk]

Hi viv, read my post below xx

[Pocket1]

Wow Adam, what a lovely lovely post. Im so pleased that you've had a postive experience at the clinic and that you also love Dr V and the team there. how fantastic that you've already made such progress - hope EC went well this week and please update us. i will keep my fingers crossed that you get a BFP on test day! x

[Luckystarfour]

Fantastic news Adam. I agree 100 % - only this week dr Venkat has rang me 8pm and said she checks through very email personally to ensure everyone has had a response to any question asked that day. Feeling comfortable and confident with your clinic and the team is so important. I have never felt so taken care of in this journey before coming to Hsfc ;-)

[Luckystarfour]

Oh and as pocket said everything crossed for you and I so hope you have great news :-)

[Renne125]

I must agree with the negative comments about HSFC and Dr Geetha Venkat. I nearly died after having treatment there and I am thinking of filing a court case and complaining to HFEA about them.

The timings of my cycle were all wrong, I was giving an overdoes of drugs, and not monitored properly i.e no blood or urine tests. As a result I produced 25 eggs( all of which were bad) most probably due to the overdose of drugs (my gynaecologist suggsted that a drug overdose can reduce egg quality) and then developed sever OHSS.

HFEA didn't bother returning our calls, nor did they offer any after care. I checked myself into A and E and was treated very well there.

I wish I had read all these negative posts before going there as I wouldn't have put myself in such a dangerous situation.

HSFC are only a satellite clinic and are not officially under the HFEA- even if they say otherwise, which can also be considered as misrepresentation.
I am still hoping however that my complaint to HFEA will be taken into consideration as it is a patient care issue.

The only positive aspect about HSFC is that they are open till late. They probably have to do this though, looking at the reputation they are creating for themselves.

My husband and I are now going in for a second IVF cycle but this time at a proper clinic and not in a basement flat run by a greedy Dr who was probably sacked from London Women's Clinic where she worked before.

[Renne125]

I must agree with the negative comments about HSFC and Dr Geetha Venkat. I nearly died after having treatment there and I am thinking of filing a court case and complaining to HFEA about them.

The timings of my cycle were all wrong, I was giving an overdoes of drugs, and not monitored properly i.e no blood or urine tests. As a result I produced 25 eggs( all of which were bad) most probably due to the overdose of drugs (my gynaecologist suggsted that a drug overdose can reduce egg quality) and then developed sever OHSS.

HSFC didn't bother returning our calls, nor did they offer any after care. I checked myself into A and E and was treated very well there.

I wish I had read all these negative posts before going there as I wouldn't have put myself in such a dangerous situation.

HSFC are only a satellite clinic and are not officially under the HFEA- even if they say otherwise, which can also be considered as misrepresentation.
I am still hoping however that my complaint to HFEA will be taken into consideration as it is a patient care issue.

The only positive aspect about HSFC is that they are open till late. They probably have to do this though, looking at the reputation they are creating for themselves.

My husband and I are now going in for a second IVF cycle but this time at a proper clinic and not in a basement flat run by a greedy Dr who was probably sacked from London Women's Clinic where she worked before.

[DMH45]

Do not go to this clinic. I found my own donor have paid £6750 , where treatment cancelled as her eggs were not maturing. They have charged me over £5000 for the donors treatment when the majority of it should have been free. I was under the impression that they should only be able to charge for the drugs and scans . This was paid for using my credit card, so I have already contacted the bank to dispute the transaction in the hope that I can recover the majority of the costs...AGAIN DO NOT GO TO THIS CLINIC THEY ARE GREEDY....I am sure they do they do this to a number of people and with the amount of money they collect from patients survive of the interest alone..

[DMH45]

Meant to add as well...they reckon the donor never took her drugs properly which was also a LIE

[Buildingamystery]

Guys, can I please ask where you can recommend as an alternative? Just about to start this journey and had considered this clinic. Harley St very handy for me so would appreciate any suggestion.

[Luckystarfour]

builing a mystery I would still say there are plenty of people me included who would still highly recommend hsfc. Out of all the consultants I have seen and I've been to 4 clinics dr Venkat at hsfc is the most heart warming, specialist and provided the attention to detail we were looking for.
I think it goes the same for ALL clinics this IVF journey is one huge money business and all clinics will have rates that make you think 'ouch' as well as proceadures which make you feel you'd like things up run more efficiently. However I have not heard of one clinic where things like the delay in seeing your consultant on time isn't appatent!

I think with all clinics I you are not happy SAY I you need to know something ASK - there is little point feeling frustrated with a clinic after if you didn't demand a better service or answers to your questions at the time.

There hae been occasions where I have been less than impressed with all 5 of the clinics I've attended but one things I have def. found with Hsfc is dr Venkat really does care. It's her reputation on the line, she works incredibly hard to provide individualised services to each and very patient and she is always ready to take on board feedback and to improve upon any areas which have caused her patients concern.

In the area I personally wouldn't go to the London women's fertilty clinic - I found their proceadure rooms untidy, without privacy and their embryologists lacking experience.

I have recently had my proceadures at city fertilty (farringdon) who Hsfc have used for the actually proceadure rooms and they have a really good set up -although some lack of communication at times.

I have hear excellent things about the results of ARGH but again ladies report that you just be prepared for a) the expense b) the conveyor belt approach.

For me Hsfc still strikes the clinical excellence, relatively organised planning of cycles and are first class in terms of digging deaper into your fertilty and personalising each treatment cycle.

Good luck :-)

[Luckystarfour]

• sorry for the typos - on an iPhone - hope you can make sense of it!

[marmite444]

I have just seen this and can't believe what I am reading I can't thank Dr Venkat enough for what she has done for us she went above and beyond the call of duty to help our family of which we now have 3 lovely children all thanks to Dr Venkat.

If you go with Dr Venkat you are in very good hands.

Thank you Dr Venkat for everything
Trish

[DMH45]

Rene or Hamera. Can I ask if you raised complaints? If so how did you go about it ? In hindsight I should have gone to City Fertility clinic directly where they don't hide any costs, act with total integrity and certainly do not manipulate you into entering a contract where you get stung for 80% of costs for a service they clearly have not provided!

[Sukhjit]

Hi Guys

We are going through the difficult stage of making a decision to choose the right clinic so needed some guidance.
Me and my husband are trying from 5 years and no luck. So now finally we decided to go for IVF.

We attended couple of open days and contacted few clinics, we also researched the clinics for their stats. We attended Bridge clinic open day but we did not find consultant very engaging.
We went to see Dr. Venkat in HSFC and felt good however we are told about ARGC also.


I would appreciate if anyone can help or share their recent experience which can help us to decide which clinic to go far.

Any guidance will me much appreciated

Thanks

[Julietromeo]

I am so sorry to read that some have had poor experiences with Dr Venkat. I have no experience of HSFC but was a patient of Dr Venkat at The London Women's Clinic. I found both her and the LWC to be amazing. After two traumatic miscarriages I finally delivered, at 42, my beautiful son followed by my beautiful daughter a year later. I doubt I would have continued on my IVF journey without Dr Venkat's support.