First Self Care Dialysis Unit opens at Harrogate Hospital

A new Self Care Dialysis Unit officially opened at Harrogate District Hospital today which will allow kidney patients to manage their own dialysis treatment. This is the first Self Care Dialysis Unit in the country.

The new unit is based in the former Social Club at Harrogate District Hospital and will enable four patients at a time to manage their own care together with the support of medical staff if needed. A 'home from home' dialysis treatment area has been created where self caring patients will take charge of their own treatment and will have access to treatments that will improve quality of life.

Because many people do not have the space at home to dialyse, they are not able to enjoy the advantages of home haemodialysis such as control, flexibility of treatment, more frequent dialysis (an important survival factor) and more quality time with family. The Self Care Dialysis Unit provides this valuable alternative.

Dr Paul Laboi, Consultant in Renal Medicine at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are delighted to be able to open this unit in Harrogate. It is the first in the country to create 'home from home' dialysis treatment areas where self caring patients can take charge of their own treatment.

“York and Harrogate haemodialysis services provided 21,000 treatments last year. The majority of the treatments were delivered in hospitals and a small minority of patients had this treatment in their own homes. Half of hospital patients don't have the right circumstances at home to enjoy the benefits of home dialysis. Our Self Care programme will enable more patients to take control of their own lives.”

The York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides the specialist service of renal dialysis in Harrogate. The new unit has been funded by the Trust, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, the British Kidney Patient Association and the York Teaching Hospital Charity. A big thank you goes out to everyone in the community who has donated towards the creation of this new unit.

Sally Taber, Chair of Trustees of the British Kidney Patient Association said, “As a national charity committed to improving the quality of life for kidney patients, we are delighted that our support is helping change the culture of long term kidney care in Yorkshire and the Humber Region. The British Kidney Patient Association is committed to increasing patient choice and involvement in their own health care, and believe that new self care centres, such as this one at Harrogate, will enable patients to take greater responsibility for their own care, and gain the independence, confidence and improved sense of wellbeing that a true partnership with health care teams can provide.

10 April 2015