A NEW regional centre is helping local people who need dialysis or intravenous nutrition treat themselves at home to improve quality of life.

The Baxter Education Centre North has opened in Partington Lane, Swinton, seeing NHS patients from the Midlands to Scotland. But its location, as the first Baxter centre outside London, means adults from all over Greater Manchester including Bolton can learn to help themselves away from hospital.

An estimated 3,000,000 people nationally have chronic kidney disease. At any one time, around 30,000 of them are on dialysis for kidney disease.

Dialysis is a process of cleaning the blood in the body when the kidneys no longer do this effectively. It removes body wastes, extra salt and water and helps control blood pressure. There are two main types of dialysis: haemodialysis where the blood is pumped out of the body to an artificial kidney machine and then returned to the body. This normally takes place in hospital three times a week for around four hours a day.

Peritoneal dialysis involves a soft tube or catheter, used to fill the abdomen with a cleansing solution that helps remove waste and extra fluids from the blood.

Life-saving dialysis changes patients’ lives but involves many hours, usually at a hospital or clinic. The Baxter Education Centre involves experienced, qualified nurses who work with dialysis patients to manage their therapy at home.

The centre is smart and purpose-built with residential accommodation in five bedrooms. These are modern, comfortable and can accommodate two people “so patients are encouraged to bring their partner”, explained Helen Green, education supervisor at the centre.

She worked in the NHS as a therapy supervisor before joining Baxter six years ago. She recognises that new patients may be fearful about their treatment and those who have been going for hospital or clinic dialysis will have concerns about replicating this themselves.

“People usually come for three days and we start by showing them how the machine works,” said Helen. “They learn a lot about the machine itself and we show them how to operate it themselves. They gradually gain confidence and we help ensure they understand everything involved.”

Because of the informal nature of the accommodation, with a pleasant living area and the fact that the patients are getting together with other similar patients often for the first time, there is a strong element of mutual support.

The centre has treated 34 patients since it opened in June. Although it is residential, locally-based patients can stay living at home if they prefer while they learn. The centre has everyone back after about six to eight weeks to check their progress.

At the official launch, Lord Smith of Leigh, chairman of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, praised the work of the centre in “helping patients and their families see a light at the end of the tunnel.” He stressed that aiding individuals to take greater responsibility for their own health was part of a general policy.

Nicholas Palmer, head of advocacy at Kidney Care UK, said: “We believe that people with kidney failure should be able to choose the dialysis treatment that suits them.

“Whilst home therapies won’t work for everyone, research shows that only a quarter of the patients who could receive and benefit from home dialysis are currently receiving this treatment.

“Access to training and having support to manage their own treatment means that patients are able to learn more and fully explore all the treatment options available to them so that they can make an informed choice.”

For general information and support go to https://www.kidneycareuk.org/