Kidney Research UK

Statement on the provision of renal dialysis facilities

Concern is often expressed that kidney patients across the UK who require dialysis to treat their disease do not always receive uniform standards. The National Kidney Research Fund is concerned about the expressed inequalities of access to appropriate treatment in the UK and is currently campaigning for a review, highlighted in it's submission of proposed standards to the Renal National Service Framework.

Complaints from clinicians and patients often include shortage of dialysis places, restricted patient choice between modalities, long journeys, inadequate provision of transport, and variable restrictions on expensive drugs. Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that offers no real quality of life, as it often requires patients to be attached to a machine for 3-5 hours, 3 times every week. The National Kidney Research Fund considers it to be unacceptable that patients enduring such an arduous treatment receive a reduced level of care as a result of local NHS budget cuts.

There are currently 34,200 people in the UK with kidney failure, and approximately 53% undergo dialysis. Each year approximately 5900 people are newly diagnosed with kidney failure. The steady increase in the requirement for renal services demands that the issues and problems within the current system for provision and commissioning be addressed as soon as possible.

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