3 April 2009
The lives of chronically ill kidney patients are being transformed, thanks to a new service that was tested uniquely at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust.
The service - the first of its kind in Britain - allows certain types of dialysis patients to undergo their treatment at home, giving them extra freedom to enjoy their spare time.
Many kidney patients receiving treatment at the Trust have already been trained at one of the Trust's dialysis centres so that they can do their peritoneal dialysis at home. However, many patients - because of age or illness - required extra support to work the machines and could not take advantage of the scheme.
Now, under the new assisted automated peritoneal dialysis (assisted APD) program, highly trained carers visit patients at their homes to keep the equipment working.
One patient who can now have dialysis at home, Janice Airlie, is incredibly thankful for the new service. She said: "This service has changed my life. Before, I was travelling to hospital every other day and having long sessions of dialysis. Then after the treatment I was completely wiped out - I was too tired to do anything.
"It put a huge strain on my whole life as well as my family because someone always came to hospital with me. But now, a carer comes to my house, gets my machine ready for me and I have dialysis while I sleep. It's incredible.
"I'm much happier, and so is my family. I've got three children and two grandchildren, and it's just fantastic to be up and about and enjoying family life. I am so grateful to be able to take part in everything that's going on."
Mary Mukuruva, a senior sister for the renal department said: "We are all very, very proud to be able to offer this treatment. The best thing about it is giving people more freedom to enjoy their lives and taking some off the pressure of their loved ones. It's a brilliant service and we hope that with extra funding, we can treat more patients in this way."
People suffering renal failure need dialysis on a regular basis to keep their blood clean as their kidneys can no longer filter the blood properly. There are two types of dialysis: haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In haemodialysis, your blood is passed through an artificial kidney machine to clean it. Peritoneal dialysis uses a membrane inside your body as a filter to clear wastes and extra fluid from your body and to return levels to normal.
The Trust offers a full range of renal services including nephrology, dialysis and transplantation services, serving a population of 1.8 million across south west London and Surrey. Transplant surgery is performed at St George's Hospital.
Inpatient services include a 48-bed unit on three wards with fully trained renal nurses and facility for acute haemodialysis and plasma exchange. The renal unit is staffed by 13 nephrologists, two tiers of junior doctors, renal nurses including a number of clinical nurse specialists, and a number of dedicated support staff, including a renal specialist pharmacist, social worker and dieticians.
