Patient in dialysis unit hope
A pensioner who has to travel 60 miles for life-saving dialysis three times a week wants his treatment brought closer to his Shropshire home. A pensioner who has to travel 60 miles for life-saving dialysis three times a week wants his treatment brought closer to his Shropshire home. Bill Lloyd, 79, of Clee Hill, lost one kidney when he was in his 20s. In November 2006 he became very ill with blocked arteries and rushed to hospital where it was discovered he had renal failure as well. He was given emergency dialysis and has been travelling to Kidderminster three times a week since for treatment. People in south Shropshire currently have to travel to Kidderminster, Shrewsbury or Hereford for treatment. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
A pensioner who has to travel 60 miles for life-saving dialysis three times a week wants his treatment brought closer to his Shropshire home.Bill Lloyd, 79, of Clee Hill, lost one kidney when he was in his 20s. In November 2006 he became very ill with blocked arteries and rushed to hospital where it was discovered he had renal failure as well.
He was given emergency dialysis and has been travelling to Kidderminster three times a week since for treatment.
People in south Shropshire currently have to travel to Kidderminster, Shrewsbury or Hereford for treatment.
Mr Lloyd said: "To have a unit 10 minutes from home would be a dream come true. I realise it's not going to happen overnight and I hope my MP will do everything he can to support these facilities coming to Ludlow. One machine would keep six people alive."
His daughter, Rose Genner, of Caynham, said: "It affects his quality of life greatly.
"It's a four-hour session every time and before we started paying for him to get a taxi, he was being transported by the NHS and he would often be out from 9am-7pm. It still takes six hours out of his day now.
"The treatment makes him very tired and at night it makes him itch so he can't sleep well.
"It affects my mum Gwen too because they would love a holiday but they can't get away because of the treatment.
"Dad really does his best and has a good sense of humour. He knows the treatment is keeping him alive. He could be miserable but he's not."
A year ago Mr Lloyd had a letter from the National Kidney Federation about getting better facilities for rural areas and he contacted south Shropshire MP Philip Dunne who took up the cause.
Mr Dunne said: "I raised the issue of getting a mobile dialysis unit in Ludlow with the Shropshire Primary Care Trust last year. The PCT is now considering providing a mobile unit as part of the improvements at Ludlow Hospital."
Julie Thornby, the PCT's corporate affairs director, said dialysis was only available in Shropshire at Telford and Shrewsbury. She said: "We wouldn't comment on an individual patient because of patient confidentiality.
"We have looked into setting up dialysis at community hospitals but at the moment there aren't sufficient patients to warrant that.
"It is particularly important to have sufficient medical cover and we will keep the position under review."
