would not recommend The Hewitt Fertility Centre to anyone
would like to formally express my deep dissatisfaction with the services provided by the Hewitt Fertility Centre in Liverpool.
During our initial consultation with the doctor responsible for explaining the service, terms and conditions, my husband and I were given a brochure which clearly stated a price of £8,400, including two cycles. We specifically asked the doctor’s whether this meant two attempts, and he confirmed that it did. Based on this, we informed him that we wished to proceed with that option.
At no point were we given any further explanation regarding the steps required to confirm this two-cycle package. In fact, this information was not even mentioned in the brochure. We later received the invoice and, with significant financial effort—given that this is part of a long-held dream—we made the payment.
We then went through the treatment process, which was already emotionally difficult, and made worse by poor communication. Every time we called the centre, it was extremely hard to speak to anyone—staff were always said to be "busy".
The day of the embryo transfer came, and we were full of hope. Sadly, the attempt was unsuccessful, and the embryo did not progress. We were devastated, but we were aware of the risks involved.
Shortly after, we received a phone call, during which we informed the clinic that the procedure had not been successful. Since we had clearly opted for the two-cycle package, we were reassured by the belief that we still had one more attempt included in the amount we had already paid. However, to our shock, we were later told otherwise.
Another consultation was scheduled, and at that point, the same advisor told us we had not purchased the two-cycle option—even though the price on both the brochure and the invoice matched that offer. He claimed that in order to secure that package, we should have contacted the finance department, which was never mentioned to us at any point.
Furthermore, I am 43 years old, and during this consultation, the advisor showed a complete lack of sensitivity. He made comments suggesting that I was "too old" and should consider other options. His cold, dismissive attitude was incredibly hurtful and left me feeling humiliated. He clearly had no understanding of how painful and frustrating it is for a woman to still be trying for a baby at my age. This is about the dream of having a child with my own genes—something deeply personal and emotional.
After this devastating news, I was left in tears. I simply do not have the financial means to start again.
We tried everything to resolve the issue, even offering to pay the difference to access the second cycle, but after many back-and-forth conversations with Hewitt, PALS, and others, we received no positive response. On the contrary, it was even implied that this might be a language barrier issue, due to the fact that we are foreigners.
This is deeply unfair. I live in the UK and work with native English speakers daily. There was no language barrier—what happened here was a lack of clear communication and responsibility from the consultant, who failed to provide vital information. Moreover, the brochure is vague and lacks essential details.
In the end, it is always the most vulnerable people—the patients—who are hurt the most in this process.
I am extremely disappointed and would not recommend The Hewitt Fertility Centre to anyone.