Frequently Asked Questions
- a kidney transplant, or
- dialysis, which cleans their blood.
- Vale of Leven (NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde)
- Inverclyde (NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde)
- Rothesay (A&B HSCP / NHS Highland)
- Belford Hospital (NHS Highland)
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde)
- Campbeltown (A&B HSCP / NHS Highland)
What is Dialysis?
People with end‑stage renal failure have kidneys that no longer work well enough to keep them healthy.
They may need:
There are two types of dialysis:
Haemodialysis
Depending on circumstanced, people can have haemodialysis in a dialysis unit or at home. Haemodialysis requires vascular access.
Dialysis treatment in hospital or a dialysis unit is overseen by nurses who need to undergo additional training and treat people on a regular basis to maintain their skills.
Peritoneal Dialysis
The peritoneum is the inside lining of the abdomen. Your abdomen is the space between the chest and the hips. Peritoneal dialysis uses the peritoneum to help clean a person's blood, inside their body. Peritoneal dialysis is done at home.
Hospital dialysis for Argyll & Bute residents
Around 30 people in Argyll & Bute get dialysis each year. Most people go to one of these dialysis units:
About 15% of people have dialysis at home (both haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis).
Where a person goes depends on their clinical needs, but they usually go to the closest unit. If that unit is full, they may need to travel further.
What is the Review Oversight Group?
The Review Oversight Group oversees the work of the review. The group is made up of managers and health care professionals who work in Argyll & Bute, but also colleagues who provide dialysis services in the rest of NHS Highland. There are also colleagues who work for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (GG&C), as they provide our wider renal service and many of our residents receive dialysis in at units that are run by NHS GG&C. We also have representatives from two national patient groups.