Dialysis patients 'likely' affected by water issues

The NHS said full details of actual and potential harm to patients would be released

An investigation has been launched into potential harm caused to patients at an NHS kidney dialysis unit.

The water being used for dialysis treatment at the Bedford Renal Unit was believed to have become unpurified.

The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which runs the unit, said that 23 patients underwent blood transfusions because of low haemoglobin levels "likely" caused by the water quality.

The unit was closed for six weeks from 29 February and the equipment that purified the water was replaced.

Further water testing confirmed the treatment at the unit was now safe, the NHS said.

“The Bedford Renal Unit reopened on Monday 15 April following necessary improvements to the water treatment plant," said a trust spokesperson.

"Patients resumed their dialysis treatment at this centre.

"Investigations are still ongoing into the cause of the issue with the water.”

The trust said one patient was taken to hospital, at the time, after suffering a stroke.

It did not provide an update on the patient's condition but said a possible link with the water quality was being investigated.

The trust would not say whether any others became seriously ill, but told the BBC that patients who required dialysis often had related health conditions which made it hard to identify a link with the dialysis water.

A helpline was set up to answer concerns from patients, relatives and carers. The NHS said, at the height of the incident, the helpline was used by 30-50 people a day.

During the closure, 96 patients travelled as much as 50 miles to alternative units, up to four times a week.

Bedford Renal Unit treats 96 dialysis patients every week

In papers presented to the NHS trust's board, chief executive Adam Sewell-Jones said he was "grateful to staff" for travelling to work in other units and apologised to patients for the "inconvenience experienced".

According to NHS England, patient safety incident investigations are launched "when an incident or near-miss indicates significant patient safety risks and potential for new learning".

'Huge effort'

Dialysis removes waste products from the body that can no longer be removed by the kidneys.

The majority of the solution placed back into the body is water.

If the water is not purified properly, NHS guidelines say it can expose patients to contaminants or bacteria, that could be harmful to people without fully functioning kidneys.

On its Facebook Page, the Lister Area Kidney Patients Association praised the "huge effort by all the renal and estates staff" to make sure that "the works required were carried out and that all the patients were fully protected".

The NHS said it hoped to complete the investigation by the end of July.

Any learning would be shared across the NHS, a spokesperson said.