Home dialysis to better lives at Great Ormond Street

A home dialysis service for children which is the first of its kind in Europe is being launched this year by London's top children's hospital.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is starting the scheme so poorly children needing short-term therapy can avoid spending hours in hospital.

Currently, those with some kidney conditions have to spend four hours in hospital three times a week to have waste products taken from their blood. The scheme means young patients will get more frequent dialysis and have a better quality of life.

Rosemary Macri, chief executive of the British Kidney Patient Association, said: "I can understand why if home haemodialysis was available it would be very popular."