Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Dialysis Care Outcomes — [Sir George Howarth in the Chair]

19 May 2022 · 3 other contributors · 9,248 words

Opened by Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

Responding minister: Gillian Keegan

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Jim Shannon raised concerns about dialysis care outcomes — [sir george howarth in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The MP is concerned about the 220% increase in energy costs for home dialysis treatment, from 115 to 350 per month.
  • The MP notes inconsistencies in reimbursement for home dialysis energy costs across the country and highlights that children may not be covered by local providers.
  • The MP calls on the Government to ensure NHS tariff payments cover all home dialysis costs, including utility reimbursements reflecting current price increases.

Key requests to Government

The MP asks the Government to support people on home dialysis by ensuring a straightforward system for reimbursement of additional utility costs as per UK Kidney Association guidance. He also requests that NHS tariff payments for home dialysis be sufficient to cover all associated costs, including reimbursements reflecting current price increases. Additionally, he calls for capped tariffs from energy companies and the Chancellor's support in this regard.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

The MP is concerned about the rising costs of dialysis treatment for those receiving it at home, particularly in light of increased energy prices. He highlighted a case where the cost for combined usage went from £115 per month to £350, representing a 220% increase. The MP also pointed out that there is no consistent reimbursement across the country for these costs and that children receiving dialysis at home may not be covered by local providers' discretion. He noted disparities in home dialysis rates between deprived and less deprived areas, with lower percentages of patients from more deprived areas accessing home dialysis.

Other contributors (3)
  • Feryal Clark Lab Enfield North

    Clark highlighted the rising number of people with kidney disease and the disparities in access to at-home dialysis treatment, noting that those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to receive such treatments. She raised concerns about patients being left to fend for themselves financially despite NHS guidelines on reimbursement, which she said was inconsistent across the country.

  • Kenny MacAskill SNP East Lothian

    He highlighted the difficulties faced by individuals and families in accessing dialysis treatment, especially for children in Scotland who may have to travel long distances for treatment. He also discussed issues related to home dialysis, including mental health impacts due to financial stress and the difficulty of affording power costs for dialysis machines.

  • Margaret Ferrier SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West

    Margaret Ferrier highlighted the severity of acute kidney injuries, stating that about 30% of related deaths could be prevented with better care or treatment. She also stressed the importance of mental health support for patients undergoing dialysis, arguing that good mental wellbeing significantly impacts recovery and treatment outcomes.

Government Response

Gillian Keegan

The Government remain committed to improving access to and quality of dialysis treatment, including at-home options. The renal services transformation programme aims to increase home dialysis provision to 20% per renal centre. Home dialysis offers benefits in patient experience and outcomes while reducing transportation costs for hospitals. For those undergoing dialysis at home, reimbursement is available for additional direct energy costs through the NHS tariff system, with rates expected to match utility cost increases. The Government will continue supporting research into kidney conditions via the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which has spent £113.2 million on kidney research from 2016-17 to 2020-21.

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