Dialysis ‘closer to home’ call

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Dialysis ‘closer to home’ call

Oct 11 2007 by Louise Dicks, Gwent Gazette

KIDNEY patients who have to travel hours a day for their treatment as it’s not available closer to home are being unfairly treated, says Assembly Member Trish Law.

Mrs Law is campaigning for people who have to go St Woolos Hospital in Newport several times a week, leaving home at 6.30am and not returning until the afternoon, to access a dialysis machine at one of the borough’s hospitals.

Neil Herbert, of Blaina, is one of those who make the journey three times a week.

The 71-year-old, who has suffered with his kidneys for the past five years, says he cannot understand why the treatment is not available in Aberbeeg or Blaina hospitals.

“I get picked up at 6.30am by a car ambulance. We then have to pick up in Blackwood and Risca before getting to the hospital. Then we have to wait until everyone has been treated before we can leave and sometimes the ambulance is late because it’s needed elsewhere,” he said.

“I don’t get home until late afternoon sometimes and I have to go straight to bed because it’s so tiring and the treatment makes me feel sick and unwell.

“It’s stressful enough anyway without having to travel so much.

“I can’t see why it’s not possible to have a few machines locally; I know of at least six people from Blaina and Nantyglo who need this kind of treatment.”

Mr Herbert, of Gladstone Street, first took his concerns to Peter Law and, after his death, to Trish Law.

Mrs Law has approached Health Minister Edwina Hart about the time it takes kidney patients in her constituency to travel for this lifesaving dialysis treatment.

She said: “It’s enough of an ordeal for an elderly person to have to undergo renal dialysis treatment without prolonging the agony with lengthy delays in hospital or on the road.

“The ambulance car usually has to take a long detour to pick up or drop off other patients.

“I have written to the Ambulance Trust to see if transport arrangements for these patients can be improved and I have brought my concerns to the attention of the Health Minister.

“I have also raised the issue with Blaenau Gwent Local Health Board, which is endeavouring to establish how many patients from Blaenau Gwent have to travel to Newport for renal dialysis.”

Mrs Hart responded: “I recognise that some patients have to travel unacceptable distances for dialysis several times a week.

“I am keen to ensure that renal patients receive their care as locally as possible as part of a comprehensive dialysis service.

“The National Service Framework published in April this year by the Assembly Government states that patients must have access to a dialysis unit within 30 minutes travel time from their home with a flexible and responsive transport system.

“This standard will, however, take time to implement in full.”

The minister revealed that an Assembly Government advisory group had recommended that dialysis facilities needed to be provided in North Gwent, in addition to those provided in Newport.

She added: “The work to determine how services at the Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan (new community hospital at the Corus site) will be arranged is part of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust’s Clinical Futures Programme.

“I will be expecting the trust to ensure that dialysis provision across the whole of Gwent is delivered based on the Renal Advisory Group recommendations.

“In addition, I will be raising the issues related to the provision and coordination of dialysis patient transport with the Welsh Ambulance Service when we next meet.”

A spokesperson for the Local Health Board said they are unable to comment on individual patient cases.

The spokesperson added: “The LHB is committed to ensuring the delivery of services as close as possible to where people live. However, this should only be done when it is clinically safe to do so. A renal dialysis unit has not been included in the design of Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan at this time because we do not have the numbers of patients within our locality which would support the specialist staff and equipment that would be required to provide a safe and appropriate service. ‘ ‘‘Therefore, Blaenau Gwent patients will continue to receive this specialist service from the unit at St Woolos Hospital in Newport.”