CHANGES to the way patients in desperate need of a kidney transplant are being treated have been criticised by a Bolton MP.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, says she plans to meet with Jeremy Hunt, the secretary of state for health, to ask why the organisation of kidney dialysis services will be transferred away from NHS England and handed to local clinical commissioning groups.

She said she fears that patients will not get the highly-specialised care they need if it is offered through smaller organisations.

Ms Qureshi, who is the chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on kidneys, said: “I will be urging the minister for a full and more meaningful consultation to ensure kidney patients and organisations who will be directly affected are involved throughout, and that their views are considered.

“The six week consultation that started on December 1 seems short, particularly given that it runs over the Christmas and new year period.

“Patients must be able to choose the right treatment for them at the right time.

“For this to be ensured nationally, NHS England needs to reassure patients and their families that CCGs will receive appropriate support as they take on this responsibility, and also retain a good strategic overview of the services offered so that patients receive consistently good care in a timely fashion."

There are now 23,000 patients in the UK who are on dialysis, a treatment that replicates the kidney’s functions by filtering harmful waste, extra salt and water out of the blood stream.

In a letter to Ms Qureshi, Mr Hunt said he was happy to meet with MPs to discuss the issue.

He said: "I stress that we recognise how important those specialised services are.

“We want to get the benefits of nationally co-ordinated commissioning with the local integrated care that CCGs are in the driving seat to deliver.

“That is why we are having this discussion.”

Su Long, chief officer at Bolton CCG, said: “NHS England is currently consulting on this and no decisions as yet have been made.

“As a CCG we are awaiting NHS England’s final decision.”