Rise in diabetes to put strain on demand for dialysis services

AN increase in diabetes and an ageing population will increase the demand for treatment of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and put additional pressure on overstretched dialysis services, according to head of the National Renal Service.

National clinical director Dr Liam Plant, a consultant renal physician at Cork University Hospital (CUH), said the health service had been able to meet demand for dialysis to date but that they were now “very close to maximum”.

“We need to plan going forward. Obviously it is a very challenging situation now,” Dr Plant said.