Following successful campaigning from Kidney Care UK reimbursement payments are now being made to people in Northern Ireland who are undergoing home peritoneal dialysis treatment.
While people undergoing home haemodialysis (HD) in Northern Ireland receive financial reimbursements for the energy used to run their machine, historically those receiving home peritoneal dialysis (PD) did not – until now. Kidney Care UK brought this long-standing disparity to the attention of the Permanent Secretary Peter May at the Department of Health and, in a recent update to us he has confirmed that payments began in July 2024.
We can now announce that, in responses provided to us, Mr May has confirmed that a regional policy for the reimbursement process will ensure a consistent approach across Northern Ireland.
We have also been assured that "the process established for reimbursements ensures that eligibility for reimbursement is registered at the time of commencing home haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis" and that patients will complete a bank transfer form which will then begin the process of issuing reimbursement payments.
This is a welcome intervention at a time when energy costs have been considerably increasing. At Kidney Care UK, we feel and have been lobbying strongly that no one should be out of pocket as a result of their medical treatment – especially those receiving dialysis who choose to do so in their home.
Kidney Care UK continues to work with the Department of Health and with staff across the renal units in Northern Ireland to improve communications with patients on reimbursements and other sources of financial entitlements.
Home dialysis reimbursement in Northern Ireland
Home haemodialysis (HD)
In Northern Ireland, all home HD & home PD recipients are reimbursed for the electricity required to run their equipment, a reimbursement arrangement which has been in place since 2005 for HD and from 2024 for PD.
- HD Rate – In October 2023 this rate was £50 per month.
- PD Rate – In October 2024 we have been told that this rate is likely to be around £50 per quarter
Water charges
Currently, water charges in Northern Ireland are included in domestic rates set by councils. The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has confirmed to us that were household water charges to be implemented at some stage in the future in Northern Ireland, the expansion of reimbursement arrangements to cover the cost of water usage of HD equipment would be reviewed.