A new centre in Burnley for people being treated for kidney disease has opened its doors to its first patients.
John Sagar Renal Centre, at Briercliffe Shopping Centre, provides haemodialysis treatment and outpatient clinic facilities for patients from across the region.
The unit has been named in tribute to East Lancashire man John Sagar, who was the former Chair of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Kidney Patients Association.
Haemodialysis is a treatment to remove waste products and extra fluid from the blood, and is given to patients whose kidneys have stopped working properly.
Improvements to facilities in East Lancashire are being overseen by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for renal services across Lancashire and South Cumbria and has awarded a seven-year contract to Diaverum Facilities Management to deliver the service.
Dr Mark Brady, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Clinical Director for Renal Medicine, said: “Opening this new centre in Burnley is the latest stage of an exciting series of developments in the service provided to people with kidney disease across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
“We have worked closely with patients throughout the project to ensure our facilities meet their needs, and are delighted to be able to welcome them to this new unit that they have been involved in designing.
“Patients who need dialysis treatment in centres like this are with us for many hours each week, so it is important to us that they can access treatment in comfortable, high-quality surroundings.
"The unit has been named in honour of the late John Sagar in recognition of the honest feedback he always gave us and his dedication in driving us forward as a service.
"John was a devoted leader who worked tirelessly to improve the care and experience offered to people living with kidney disease across the region."
In the next phase of improvements to renal services in East Lancashire, work has started on a purpose-built new renal centre on the Royal Blackburn Hospital site, scheduled to open in Spring 2022.
Diaverum Facilities Management Managing Director Michael Hartnett said: “Our new East Lancashire centres have been designed to enable maximum accessibility, bringing treatment closer to home for all patients including those with specific mobility or infection control needs.
“We are delighted to have welcomed patients to this new centre in Burnley, and look forward to the completion of the Blackburn site.”
Both of the new units have been designed to offer enough clinic room capacity to allow dialysis and outpatient appointments to take place in the same building, as well as video consultation facilities.
As part of the contract with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, Diaverum has opened a new renal centre in Ulverston and will refurbish the existing centre at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal.
