New Dialysis Unit Will Provide Treatment Closer To Homes

12 February 2020

Hutt Valley and Wairarapa patients will soon be able to receive their dialysis treatment closer to home, with the establishment of a new satellite dialysis unit next to Hutt Hospital.

Recently approved by both the Capital & Coast DHB and Hutt Valley DHB Boards, the new outpatient unit will be located on the Hutt Valley Health Hub on Lower Hutt’s Witako Street.

“The dialysis units at Wellington Regional and Kenepuru Community Hospitals currently provide treatment for nearly 150 patients – around 50 of whom live in the Hutt Valley, and four who live in the Wairarapa,” said the DHBs’ director of provider services Joy Farley.

“Patients typically receive treatment three days a week – for around five hours – and travelling all the way to Wellington or Porirua can be a significant burden for them. This new unit removes much of that burden by allowing them to undergo outpatient dialysis closer to home.”

In line with international trends, demand for renal dialysis has been growing steadily across the greater Wellington region. For the past two years, the renal teams at Wellington Regional and Kenepuru Community Hospitals have been delivering more than 420 dialysis treatments each week.

“As well as making it more convenient for many patients, the unit increases the dialysis capacity we already have across the region. This means we will be better placed to meet growing demand in the coming years.”

Minister of Health Dr David Clark congratulated the DHBs on their decision to proceed with the new unit.

“This is a great example of our health services finding new ways to make more treatment available now and in the future, and to make life easier for patients.

“With Māori and Pacific people unfortunately being over-represented among these patients, and many living in the most deprived areas of the Hutt Valley, having more accessible treatment will help improve equity in health outcomes across the region,” David Clark said.

The new satellite dialysis unit is expected to open to patients in July.

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