Programme Documents & Resources
The National Renal Office tracks End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) prevalence by location and mode of treatment for patients receiving renal replacement therapy in Ireland. The annual reports for each year can be accessed in this section.
In 2020, there were many unprecedented challenges that effected the prevalence rates and when compared to previous years there are a number of significant changes in trends as COVID 19 had a significant impact on the clinical management of End-Stage Kidney Disease:
Over 400,000 dialysis treatments were delivered nationally by the HSE.
Transplantation
- The National Kidney Transplant Programme was suspended for three months in 2020 and transplant activity was below expectations.
- Over the past 10 years, the number of patients alive with a functioning transplant has increased by an average of 74 patients per year.
- 2020 represents the first years since NRO kept records, that the number of patients alive with the functioning transplant did not change.
In-Centre Haemodialysis
- Over 310,000 in centre haemodialysis treatments were delivered in 23 centres (12 parent hospital renal units, 2 HSE satellite units and 9 HSE contracted satellite units).
- The growth in the number of patients receiving in centre haemodialysis therapy in 2020 was double the average increase recorded over the past 10 years, representing an additional 13,000 haemodialysis treatments.
Home Dialysis Therapies
- 95,000 home dialysis therapy treatment were delivered in Ireland in 2020.
- The number of patients choosing to receive home dialysis therapy in Ireland increased dramatically as a result of COVID 1 - a total number increase of 10% which is five times the annual growth, equating to 9,000 additional treatments.
International peer-reviewed research has been done on the impact of a national surgical mask-wearing policy on COVID-19 transmission in Irish haemodialysis units.
Read more about this research.
The NRO has also produced specific guidance documents and policy updates which can be accessed in this section.
These include:
- Management of COVID 19 in patients with ESKD.
- Policy regarding Dialysis Away From Base (DAFB).
- Non-emergency dialysis transport policy.
- Infection-control guidelines.
- Patient Guides.