State-of-the-art renal dialysis centre
A state-of-the-art facility for patients who need dialysis has opened in south east London, run in partnership between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and kidney dialysis specialist providers Diaverum UK.
The satellite clinic is based at University Hospital Lewisham and replaces a smaller, recently closed unit at Forest Hill.
With a total of 20 dialysis stations, five more than its predecessor, it includes two rooms dedicated to inpatient haemodialysis. This means that inpatients at University Hospital Lewisham who need dialysis no longer have to be transferred to Guy’s Hospital, a round trip that could take up to eight-hours.
[Image: Lee Bellew is one of the first patients at the new renal dialysis centre]
The new unit is modern, spacious and more comfortable for patients. It will be staffed by the same team and operate the same opening hours as the Forest Hill centre – Monday to Saturday from 7am to 11.30pm. It will be able to treat a maximum of 120 patients on three shifts – mornings, afternoons and evenings.
Ros Tibbles, Service Improvement Nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said:
We’re delighted to offer this new clinic to patients. With 20 dialysis stations instead of the 15 we had at the Forest Hill centre, we can dialyse many more patients each week.
The environment at the new centre is much more pleasant for patients and will bring vast improvements to comfort and privacy. This is especially important for this group of patients who require dialysis three times a week, for four to five hours at a time.
We are committed to improving patient care and experience and we are confident that the new dialysis centre will make a big difference to our patients.
The King’s Health Partners Liver, Renal, Urology, Transplant, Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Surgery Clinical Academic Group has made significant advances combining expertise in basic immunology and transplantation biology.
Read more on the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust website.