A new dialysis centre in Summerside will dramatically increase the number of patients who can receive treatment.

The centre opened Friday at the Prince County Hospital.

The site has the ability to treat up to 54 patients a week. That's more than double the capacity of the previous Summerside location.

Health Minister Doug Currie says demand for dialysis is rising dramatically.

"In the last few years we've seen approximately about a 75 per cent increase in the demand here in the province of Prince Edward Island. So government has responded and this site today is an example of our commitment to haemodialysis treatment," he said.

This is the first of two new dialysis sites in the province.

Another is expected to open at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown this summer.

...

Dialysis patients livid at Renal Network's Withybush snub

12:00pm Saturday 21st April 2012 in News

Pembrokeshire's dialysis patients are livid at being ‘kept in the dark’ about the future of a proposed renal unit at Withybush Hospital.

As the Western Telegraph exclusively revealed, the Welsh Renal Network pulled a state-of-the-art, 21 station, renal unit from the Withybush Hospital campus, citing the cost of altering the road infrastructure and car park as the reason.

It is now looking to house a facility within a three mile radius of the hospital.

At present, 24 of Pembrokeshire’s dialysis patients are treated in a temporary unit at Withybush, with a further 20 having to travel to either Carmarthen or Morriston for treatment several times a week.

Patient representative Alex Cottrell, who was on the project board for the new unit, said that patients did not know of the change of plan until they read about it in the Western Telegraph.

“All patients were involved in planning the new unit from day one,” she said.

“We have been involved in shape, design, colours, business plan; it’s all there all ready to go up, everything, the exterior build, the interior build.

“It’s all been patient led, that’s why patients are livid.”

Mrs Cottrell said that at had insisted that the unit was built at Withybush for patient safety and medical care. Hospital based sites have access to a nephrology doctor which is not always the case on satellite sites.

She said no nephrology doctor will mean that patients who have complications will still have to go to Carmarthen or Morriston for dialysis.

“Why have their standards dropped? It’s all about funding,”

she said, adding that former Health Minister, Edwina Hart, had assured patients that there was £6million ring fenced for the unit and that her successor Lesley Griffiths had assured them it was going ahead at Withybush.

“We would like her to come to the unit and explain exactly what is going on,” she said. “This could have been a flagship dialysis unit.

“We want them to do a uturn.

Pembrokeshire people feel they should have the same standard of care as they have in Carmarthen and Morriston. We are worth it.”

The Western Telegraph contacted the Welsh Government to ask if the new unit would have a nephrology doctor, if it would incorporate any of the design features intended for the original unit and what the timescale was for the opening of the renal unit.

They replied: “We are working with the Health Board and the Renal Network to find a cost effective solution for the provision a permanent and larger Renal Unit for the residents of Pembrokeshire that can be operational as soon as possible. A number of different site options are being explored. The specification and size of the new unit will not change.”

Comment now! Register or sign in below.

Or

...

Published on Saturday 21 April 2012 09:00

THE family of a disabled woman has fulfilled her dying wish to help seriously ill people to achieve their dreams.

Jo Horobin, of Bakewell, passed away in August last year after losing her battle with kidney disease.

Prior to her death, the 48-year-old urged her family to help others who, like herself, were suffering as the result of life threatening illness.

In a bid to keep her memory alive, her sister, Denise, set up Jo’s Dreams which, following several fund-raising events, has granted it’s first wish.

Denise explained that the trust, which is currently awaiting charitable status, had contacted 31-year-old Darren Ferguson, of Milton Keynes, and agreed to help pay for him to go on holiday with his wife for the first time.

“Darren was born with kidney failure and has had three kidney transplants in his life, plus year on year dialysis,” she said.

“He has been through everything that my sister went through with years of fighting to stay alive on dialysis.”

Darren’s condition had prevented him from being able to go abroad.

“He so deserves a treat because of what he’s been through,” Denise said.

She pledged to Darren that the trust would help him achieve his dream in his local church with his family.

“All the hard work, all the training and charity events and time you put into this is worth it in the end,” Denise said.

“Jo would have been so proud.”

She will be taking part in the half marathon with Scott Fairbass, of Rotherham, who, despite suffering from kidney failure, is determined to raise money for the trust.

Another group of runners are hoping to complete the Manchester Marathon at the end of the month for Jo’s Dreams.

The Fishpond Choir will be performing a special concert for the cause at the Medway Centre, in Bakewell, on April 21 at 7.30pm.

The evening will take place the day before what would have been Jo’s 49th birthday.

Tickets cost £8 including refreshments and are available on the door or by calling Nikki Horobin on 01629 734719 or Dilys Twyford on 01629 57676.

• Email to a friend
• Print this page

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.

...

KUALA LUMPUR: The air-conditioning system failure at Serdang Hospital was repaired at 4pm yesterday.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the company maintaining the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation services had resolved the problem.

She said a power surge following the explosion of a Tenaga Nasional Bhd power station in Bandar Baru Bangi earlier last month had affected parts of the air-conditioning system.

"The electronic part of the system, which was affected, was brought in from overseas," she said.

She said the ministry would continue to monitor technical problems at all government hospitals to ensure patients' comfort.

A statement issued by Serdang Hospital director Datuk Dr Ardi Awang on March 30 said the air-conditioning failure was caused by a malfunction in the Building Automated System for the air-conditioning.

Priority was given to critical locations such as the Accidents and Emergency Department, operation theaters, critical wards, Imaging and Diagnostic Department, Invasive Cardiac Lab, Urology/Nephrology Clinic, Labour and Delivery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, administrative office, Central Sterile Supply Department, pharmacy and daycare.

...