PATIENTS living in social housing are being offered a pathway to home dialysis, thanks to a partnership between Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Home Dialysis Services and Anglesey Council.
By allowing patients to undergo treatment in their own homes, the new social housing home dialysis pathway aims to make the experience less daunting and more convenient. It will also provide financial savings by being more cost effective.
Currently, patients whose homes are unsuitable for home dialysis must attend Ysbyty Gwynedd for treatment up to three times a week – for up to four hours per session.
The new pathway will seek to provide patients in social housing with a property that is suitable for treatment at home.
If able to perform home dialysis the patients can have their dialysis treatment daily or overnight which improves quality of life, whilst reducing costs to the NHS.
Anglesey’s Head of Housing Services, Ned Michael, said, “Having this pathway in place should increase the number of Anglesey patients being able to access dialysis at home. Receiving this treatment at home, nearer to family members and support network can boost kidney patients’ well-being and morale.”
He added, “Providing patients the opportunity to receive home dialysis can provide flexibility, which includes being able to have treatment at a time that suits their lives. We have a long-standing partnership with our local Health Board and having this pathway in place will help improve the journey for patients moving from in-ward HD to home dialysis.”
The rate of home dialysis therapy for patients living the least deprived areas in Wales is 26.5%, whilst the rate in the most deprived areas is 14.6%.
The Council and Health Board are eager to increase the number of patients who receive dialysis at home. Using home dialysis machines means patients are not required to attend to the renal ward as their health needs can be met from the comfort of their own home.
The cost of in-ward dialysis is in the region £3,000 per month. The cost of using home dialysis is in the region of £1,200 per month. Costs are met by the Health Board.
The choice of which option, either home or in-ward dialysis, remains with the patient and the medical multi-disciplinary team.
The National Kidney Federation concludes that home dialysis is exactly the kind of cost-effective innovation that will represent a major step forward for both patients and the NHS itself.
BCUHB Home Dialysis Service Manager, Sarah Hirst-Williams, explained, “A number of our Anglesey patients currently receiving in-ward dialysis are very keen to be able to transform to Home HD. Having this pathway in place means we can increase the number of our kidney patients receiving home HD as the process is streamlined to achieve positive outcomes within the community.”
She added, “Our Health team are so committed to ensuring our kidney patients are given the best opportunity for positive outcomes within their lives, this pathway supports our commitment.”
