Barts Health NHS Trust has officially opened a new £3.8m Independent Therapies Centre at Mile End Hospital, the UK's first dedicated haemodialysis space for young adults.
Opened on July 24, the centre combines home haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis training with shared self-care facilities and dedicated spaces for patients aged 16 to 25.
The facility includes six home haemodialysis training stations, five shared-care haemodialysis stations, enhanced peritoneal dialysis training facilities and five dedicated treatment spaces for young adults.
It has also been designed in partnership with patients to create a less clinical environment intended to resemble a community space rather than a traditional hospital ward.
The young adult unit was developed in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital to help patients transition from paediatric to adult renal services.
Alongside treatment areas, the centre incorporates breakout and social spaces intended to encourage peer support and help young people build confidence in managing their condition.
The Independent Therapies Centre also aims to expand access to home dialysis.
Patients receive training to undertake haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis independently, while those whose homes are unsuitable for home treatment can use the self-care facilities at Mile End Hospital.
The Trust said that patients with end-stage kidney disease will need lifelong renal replacement therapy.
However, around 70% of homes in north east London are unsuitable for home haemodialysis because of space or infrastructure constraints, leaving many patients reliant on hospital-based treatment.
Suzanne Forbes, Kidney Consultant and Clinical Lead for Dialysis at Barts Health, said the centre had been designed to place "independence, flexibility and personalised care at its heart", enabling more patients to manage dialysis themselves while providing a supportive environment for those unable to receive treatment at home.
The project was backed by £3.8m from Barts Charity, which first announced funding for the Renal Independent Therapies and Young Adult Centre in 2022 as part of plans to improve access to home therapies and develop a new model of self-care for kidney patients across east London.
“The new Renal Centre is a brilliant example of our commitment to fund projects that transform patient care and tackle health inequalities head on,” said Fiona Miller Smith, Chief Executive of Barts Charity.
