Dialysis rationing would be disastrous

RENAL SERVICES IN THE HIGHLANDS
Scotland: Dialysis rationing would be disastrous
Published: 28/10/2010

HAVING to go through kidney dialysis treatment is an ordeal at the best of times, but a necessary one if patients want to lead some semblance of a “normal” life. Imagine the prospect of lifeline health services such as this being rationed among kidney patients.

We would consider this to be unbelievable in a modern NHS, where politicians are telling us constantly that frontline services are sacrosanct. But this is a very real prospect facing NHS Highland, whose renal unit at Raigmore Hospital is stretched to the limit. There is a business and medical case to expand the number of dialysis stations to 25 in Inverness, with a further 10 at Invergordon, to cope with a sharp rise in dialysis patients. There are a number of contributory factors, including diabetes and people surviving serious illnesses thanks to modern medicine.

If the Scottish administration fails to sanction the investment, the knock-on effect has been described by NHS managers as nothing short of “catastrophic” for renal services in the Highlands. This is a big test for ministers at Holyrood, who have been priming the country for painful cuts. Surely this will not be one of them, because such a move would be cruel and indefensible.

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