Southern Trust Renal Unit Amongst the Best in the UK for Patient Experience

by Gráinne Connolly

The Southern Trust’s Renal Unit has been ranked as fourth in the UK and top in Northern Ireland in a national patient experience survey.

The Renal Unit at Daisy Hill Hospital treats patients with kidney disease from across Armagh, Dungannon, Craigavon, Banbridge, Newry and Mourne and some from border areas of the Republic of Ireland.

The modern unit has 26 haemodialysis stations, 40 machines which are used by 90 patients each week.

The team of specialist nurses, medics, pharmacists, podiatrists, social workers, dieticians and technicians also support patients who have chosen a home therapy treatment and those attending renal outpatient clinics.

The Unit has previously been ranked top in the UK Renal Registry for survival of dialysis patients aged 65 and above.

This is the first year they have participated in thePatient Reported Experience of Kidney Care in the UK 2018.

Congratulating his colleagues on this latest achievement, Clinical Lead for the Renal Unit, Consultant Nephrologist Dr John Harty said: “Our Renal Team is very well regarded for the high quality care we provide and dedication to patients and families.

"We aim to work closely with colleagues across Northern Ireland to offer a dynamic, patient centred service.  We have a consistently high performance and are regularly invited to share our best practice throughout the UK.

“This survey is a very strong endorsement from our own patients who have scored us so highly across a range of factors including clinical care, environment, communication and overall patient experience.

“It is an absolute privilege to work with such a fantastic team. We hope to build on this momentum to help further develop our service and continually improve the quality of life we can offer to people with kidney disease living in the Southern area.”