Oldham to get dialysis centre
Reporter: Karen Doherty
Date published: 19 January 2011
PEOPLE with kidney disease who need dialysis will no longer have to travel out of Oldham for treatment.
The borough is to get a satellite haemodialysis centre which is expected to open in early or mid 2012.
Kidney disease is increasing in older people and those with diabetes, and Oldham’s ageing population will mean a rise in people with needing dialysis.
The borough is one of four priority areas in the North-West along with Blackburn, South Cheshire and Stockport where the NHS wants to expand satellite dialysis facilities to treat people closer to home.
The units in Oldham, Blackburn and Stockport will be new services as no dialysis facilities exist in these areas. Instead, Oldham patients have to travel to Rochdale Infirmary and Salford Royal Hospital for treatment.
The Oldham unit will have 20 stations consisting of reclining chairs and dialysis equipment. It is predicted that around 50 currently receiving treatment will benefit.
Specific sites have yet to be confirmed, but preference will be given to locations on or close to hospitals and with good public transport links and car parking.
It has not been decided who will provide and run the centre with an announcement expected at the end of March.
Dialysis is only suitable for certain patients with advanced renal failure.
They will remain as NHS patients, under the care and clinical responsibility of doctors from the existing NHS renal services.
A preparatory planning application has been submitted on behalf of B. Braun Avitum to provide a unit at Howarth Court, Broadway Business Park, Chadderton.
It runs more than 100 dialysis units in Europe and is one of the companies bidding for the tender.
Howarth Court has been vacant since it was built and the planning application states: “It is well situated for ease of access by the identified patient/user group, and good transport links will allow inclusive access for staff and patients alike.”
Both the company and a spokesman for NHS Oldham said they were unable to comment at this stage.
