B. Braun Spearheads Drive For More Home Dialysis, UK

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 21 Apr 2011 - 4:00 PDT


B. Braun Avitum UK Ltd is spearheading a drive to provide kidney patients with the choice of having life-saving treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

The company, a division of leading healthcare company B. Braun Medical Ltd, provides a home-based haemodialysis service working with NHS trusts including Bangor, Ipswich, Southend, York & Nottingham hospitals.

The development in the B. Braun Avitum UK Ltd home haemodialysis service is aimed at helping NHS Trusts to meet Government targets aimed at increasing the number of patients receiving home haemodialysis - a move recommended by NICE, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence.

Currently, less than two per cent of patients receive home-based care, a figure NICE advises should rise to 10 per cent by 2012.

The majority of kidney patients have to travel to hospital units three to four times a week to receive treatment, with each dialysis session typically lasting around four hours.

Christine McCabe, Commercial Manager at B. Braun Avitum UK Ltd, said: "The launch of our home based service is to extend patient choice. We recognise that not everyone will be medically suitable or will want to have their treatment at home.

"But for patients who do want to go down this route, home dialysis can give patients far more personal freedom so they can tailor dialysis sessions around their work and family commitments, and can save many additional hours each week in travel time.

"As an experienced partner with the NHS in providing haemodialysis services, we provide the highest standards of clinical and technical support for patients.

"The installation, training and support programme is individualised for each patient's specific requirements. The system is suitable for nocturnal dialysis, tailored to patients' prescriptions and has a proven reliability record."

B. Braun Avitum UK Ltd is working with NHS Trusts to help them meet Renal National Service Framework (NSF) recommendations for the provision of home dialysis. treatment. The NSF set out a vision for the NHS to improve diagnosis and management of kidney failure in primary care and decrease in the number of late referrals for dialysis and transplants.

The development of home-based services forms part of the strategic growth of B. Braun Avitum UK Ltd, which operates 11 dialysis centre's across the UK in partnership with the NHS.

The company is a market leader in dialysis technology, pioneering a range of product innovations to improve dialysis efficiency and enhance patient care.

The B. Braun group is one of the world's fastest growing healthcare companies.

In the UK B. Braun operates from a purpose built head office and distribution centre at Thorncliffe Park, Sheffield, providing medical products and services to hospitals in the UK.

Source:
B Braun Avitum UK Ltd

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