KIDNEY patients have spoken of their health fears after it emerged dialysis sessions were shortened or even cancelled because of equipment failures.

The patients claimed the unit at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital had reached crisis point, and said nursing staff had put in longer hours to overcome the problems.

However, hospital bosses said the dialysis machines had now been fixed, and the unit was back to full strength.

Dialysis patient Helen Vaughan, of Cartmel, said a combination of too few dialysis machines, and a technician who fixed faulty machines being on sick leave had caused the problems.

She said nursing staff had been distressed by the difficulties: "They can see it's damaging the patients and it's just so frustrating for them.

"If you miss a dialysis it takes a long time to catch up. Economically it doesn't make sense to have a dialysis patient come crashing down it probably costs more than it does to fund a few extra machines."

Carol Halliwell, from Morecambe, was so concerned she wrote to hospital chiefs and MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale Geraldine Smith. The problem had been going on "for weeks", she said, and there had been a lack of investment to replace older dialysis machines.

Mrs Halliwell, a member of local and national kidney patients' groups, said a "critical point" had been reached at the unit.

Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust director of nursing and midwifery Anne Buchanan said the "temporary blip" had been caused by a combination of the festive period, annual leave and short-term sick leave.

The unit was due to be back to its normal quota of 15 dialysis machines this week, and extra New Year's Day shifts were due to make up the backlog.

"We have pulled out all the stops and got the machines back up and working," she said.

"The consultant has reviewed all patients who have had dialysis time shortened and he's quite comfortable there's not a problem medically, which is the most important thing.

"We will review the whole situation after the New Year because it's not a situation we would have wanted to find ourselves in."

Ms Buchanan said £102,000 was due to be invested in equipment for the unit this year.

January 3, 2003 10:00