Units
Histories of individual UK renal units
What constitutes a ‘renal unit’? For these histories we have defined it as a unit based in a major hospital (whether or not a teaching hospital) with consultant nephrologists on the staff, supported by a multiprofessional team with inpatient beds, outpatient facilities, and both inpatient and outpatient facilities for haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Not all units have always offered this full range of services. For example in the early years some units provided haemodialysis but little else, and then gradually developed as staff and infrastructure improved into a ‘fully fledged’ renal unit, as defined above.
We have not considered in this list ‘satellite dialysis units’ (providing regular haemodialysis away from the main unit, and attached to a main unit as above).
By our definition there are in 2024 72 renal units in the UK treating adults, of which 25 also provide transplantation services. Covering a population of below 70 million, this makes UK units catchment areas average a little below 1 million, much larger than in most developed countries. There are also 13 paediatric units.
Es Will has written a detailed discussion of the organisational, cultural, social and other influences which impact on the definition and function of a renal unit: More on unit organisation in the UK
A number of the current entries include substantial information from John Hopewell’s now lapsed website (renhist.co.uk) on the history of transplantation and early dialysis in the UK. Origin is attributed on individual pages. More about him at the John Hopewell’s Early History of RRT page below as well as on the Royal Free history page.
If your unit history is not yet featured, or if you want to add something to the information we have posted, please contact us.
Featured image is from Leeds, showing Frank Parsons demonstrating their new dialysis machine to Harold Himsworth, Director of the Medical Research Council, in 1956.
Units with history entries
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Carshalton (St Helier)
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Glasgow
- Leeds
- Leicester
- London – Barts
- London – Charing Cross (Fulham)
- London – Guys
- London – Hammersmith
- London – Kings
- London – The London
- London – Middlesex (Three Ps)
- London – National Kidney Centre
- London – Royal Free
- London – St George’s
- London – St Marys
- London – Westminster
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Oxford
- Pembury
- Portsmouth
- RAF Halton
- Salisbury
- John Hopewell’s history
- Renal Units: Pride in, and of, place?
Last Updated on February 20, 2025 by John Feehally