Patients 'travelling 50 miles for life-saving treament'

Ill patients have to travel 50 miles, up to four times a week, to receive life-saving kidney dialysis, an MP said.

Mohammad Yasin, Labour’s representative for Bedford, said almost 100 people had their lives “severely disrupted” since the town’s renal unit was closed.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Yasin said the unit was shut "until further notice" because of failures with the onsite water treatment unit.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, responded and said he would "make sure that we look into this within the department, and that the NHS is being provided with all the support they need to rectify the situation."

The purpose-built unit, run by the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust opened ten years ago and provided renal services to a population of 1.2 million people.

Dr Justin Daniels, medical director at the trust, said: “Patient safety is our top priority, so we have taken the decision to close the Bedford Renal Unit as a precaution."

He added: “All patients who attend the unit have been informed of the closure and their treatment has been moved to an alternative location at one of our other renal units."

Mr Yasin told the House of Commons: "This is a major incident for nearly a hundred patients in Bedford whose lives are now severely disrupted by the need to travel around 50 miles, up to four times a week, to access life-saving kidney dialysis."

He added: "Kidney dialysis units in the region are already at capacity, and under immense strain, so much more investment is needed to bring home-based therapies to patients, which would not only save the NHS money in the long-term but would mean dialysis patients can lead fuller, freer lives."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830