On Monday 26 August, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust opened the doors of its new dialysis unit to treat people with kidney disease.
Leicester South Dialysis Unit is located at Genesis Park in South Wigston and replaces the unit at Leicester General Hospital. Following engagement with dialysis patients on the best location, the new the purpose-built unit will allow Leicester’s Hospitals to treat more people in better facilities.
The new facility has 35 dialysis stations and a capacity to increase to 49 stations as demand rises. The unit also has consultation rooms, an isolation suite comprising nine rooms with ensuite facilities, and a home dialysis training suite – all fitted out with the latest technology.
Dialysis removes waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It filters out unwanted substances by diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned. People receiving treatment at the unit can be there for up to four hours, three days a week.
In the early 1970s, there were no facilities in Leicestershire to treat people with kidney disease and those needing long-term treatment had to travel as far as Sheffield or Cambridge. Since then, the Renal Service at Leicester’s Hospitals has steadily expanded and provides a high-quality service to approximately 170 patients who receive dialysis.
Jorge Jesus-Silva, Head of Service for Nephrology, said: “We are very happy to have a new dialysis unit to treat the people of Leicester. Patients will find it more comfortable, efficient, and safe, and we are thankful for the support we have had to build it. With facilities like this, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust will continue to be leading in healthcare and trusted in communities.”
Suzi Glover, Deputy Head of Nursing for Dialysis said: “Leicester South Dialysis Unit will deliver a positive patient experience during treatment because of its purpose-built environment and provides improved facilities for staff.
“The unit is large enough to accommodate our current number of patients requiring dialysis as well as any increase in need for many years to come. In addition, there are new facilities to train patients, family members, or their carers to carry out their dialysis treatments in the comfort of their own home”.
The renal unit at Leicester hosts the Leicester Kidney Network which comprises 11 dialysis units across the East Midlands, covering four counties. It delivers care for more than 2,500 patients on some form of renal replacement therapy and thousands more with chronic kidney disease who are at risk of progression into requiring dialysis.
