 The National Kidney Federation says there are 20,000 people in the UK on dialysis |
A new unit for people who require kidney dialysis in north Powys is being planned for a small community hospital. Welshpool's Victoria Memorial Hospital would take some of the pressure off the consultant ward at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), which serves parts of mid Wales.
The RSH said that it was NHS policy to locate services closer to patients.
The National Kidney Federation (NKF) said people should not have to travel
more than 30 minutes for treatment.
There are 20,000 on kidney dialysis in the UK, according to the NKF.
The treatment can be aggressive and makes for an "unpleasant existence."
 |  Transport and travelling for renal patients is a very big issue  |
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust said the renal unit was full to capacity and another eight dialysis stations had been installed.
A spokesman added: "Although the closeness of the beds is not ideal, at present it is unavoidable in order to accommodate all the seriously ill patients who need dialysis.
"The hospital deals with up to 75 patients each day."
The spokesman added there were plans to expand the service and develop a unit at Welshpool hospital so that patients from Montgomeryshire could receive dialysis closer to home.
Welshpool is a 20-mile, 30-minute drive from Shrewsbury.
The trust added that it was also part of the NHS' policy to provide services closer to patients.
It added that there should be more information about the new unit at Welshpool in the spring.
Tim Statham, of the NKF, said that transport and travelling for renal patients was "a very big issue".
He said: "There are 20,000 patients in the UK on dialysis and it can be an aggressive treatment.
"If on top of that people have to travel long distances for treatment it can make for an unhappy life.
"People shouldn't have to travel more than 30 minutes for treatment."
Mr Statham also explained the dialysis process. "If kidneys don't work then people are poisoned," he said.
"In the days leading up to dialysis patients feel ill and haemodialysis can make for a very unpleasant existence.
"Dialysis lasts four hours and people require it three times a week. For the rest of the week people are recovering from it."
Powys Local Health Board confirmed it was in discussion with Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust about a renal facility for north Powys.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
