Patients needing kidney dialysis services will soon be able to receive their treatment in Harlow.

A new unit is to be located in the town after the East and North Herts NHS Trust – which currenly runs satellite dialysis units in Luton and St Albans as well as services at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage – was awarded contracts for two new units, one in Harlow and the other in Bedford.

The contracts were agreed following a three-month consultation process by the Midlands and East Specialised Commission-ing Group during which views were sought from patients, clinicians and the public.

It is expected the new service will be up and running by January of next year.

The news has been welcomed by Harlow MP Robert Halfon, who said: “This is great news for kidney dialysis patients in the town who need to make regular journeys for their treatment. To have services on their doorstep will be of great benefit to them and their families.

“It proves the Government is investing in Harlow’s health services on top of the extra £24m that has already been allocated to our town.”

The bid by the East and North Herts NHS Trust was put forward by its renal dialysis team working closely with specialist private sector partner Diaverum UK.

Trust chief executive Nick Carver said: “For some time the clinical quality of our renal dialysis service has enjoyed an enviable national and international reputation, which helps to explain why they were chosen to develop this new unit in Harlow.

“It is also a tribute to how our clinical and non-clinical teams worked alongside each other in putting together a winning bid that ticked all the boxes for the commissioning group.”

Consultant Roger Greenwood said: “We are delighted that, after such a long wait, peoples in West Essex will now have access to local kidney dialysis units.

“We have 20 years of experience running similar NHS centres and are confident in providing excellent standards of care for renal dialysis patients.”

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