Exhausting' One NHS worker shares her experience

A fifth of employees undergoing fertility treatment are thought to have quit their job due to how they were treated. Alison Howie, an NHS physiotherapist, shares her experience during the procedure.

- Rachel Hall

My infertility journey has been exhausting, expensive and soul-destroying. I've had about 18 embryo transfers over the last 10 years, using my frozen eggs, fresh donor eggs and adopted embryos, as well as several pregnancy losses.

In my last job, I worked in a maternity service, so I found it quite difficult and upsetting. Managers didn't know what to do, how to handle it. They just saw this emotional person. They used to have an IVF policy but this was discontinued.

I ended up leaving the job after three years because I could not bear the emotional torture. When I asked if I could move to another role - within physiotherapy there are several disciplines that I was qualified and experienced to do - managers wouldn't consider it.