A roadshow to highlight the benefits of home dialysis to patients with kidney failure starts on Monday 13 May 2019.

Patients and their families who could benefit from home dialysis will be able to see the available options in action thanks to the roadshow initiative which features two touring camper vans.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has joined together with medical technology companies NxStage, Fresenius Medical and Baxter Healthcare as well as Kidney Care UK for the event which will visit five dialysis sites.

Portable dialysis machines will be on show for patients, staff and families with further opportunities to speak to patients who are currently on dialysis at home, as well as the staff who support them.

Visitors will also have the chance to speak to staff and representatives from the local and national kidney patient associations, with lots of information also available on kidney transplantation.

Consultant Jyoti Baharani said: “For patients with kidney failure, dialysis at home has many benefits including longer survival and a freedom to do more, we hope the five days will allow patients to familiarise themselves with what can be a daunting prospect for many.

“Our aim is to increase the number of patients on home dialysis – last year’s successful roadshow was visited by over 350 patients, and we are hoping for an even higher number this year.

“Between the UHB dialysis sites we have over 1,000 patients on hospital dialysis and there are more with declining kidney function that may be moving onto dialysis in the future, so we hope this will encourage many to consider home dialysis as an alternative.”

If you are on dialysis, have declining kidney function and may in the future be on dialysis, or think you may benefit from finding out more about home therapies, the roadshow is stopping off at the following locations between 10:00 – 15:00 on the respective days, attendance is open to all:

Further information

For further information, please contact one of the following:

Kidney Failure Support Team

Tel: 0121 424 2677

Heartlands Home HD Team

Tel: 07772 141 981

Smethwick Dialysis Unit

Tel: 0121 371 8340