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Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford Kidney Unit

Alert Coronavirus / COVID-19

If you have a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss or change to your sense of taste or smell, do not come to our hospitals. Follow the national advice on coronavirus (COVID-19).

Please find information on our services and visiting restrictions in our COVID-19 section.

Patients and visitors must wear a face covering in our hospitals.

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COVID-19 update

Oxford Kidney Unit and Transplant Centre

Appointments

We are still reducing the number of patients coming into hospital: we will only ask you to come to hospital if we think it will be better for you.

Some of your appointments may still be telephone appointments: we will call you a few days before your appointment date to let you know if this is the case.

If you think you need to see the Renal or Transplant team face to face, let us know when we call.

If we don't call you, your appointment will be face to face with the Renal or Transplant team.

If we ask you to come to hospital:

  • follow the instructions before entering the building
  • wash or gel your hands on arrival
  • do not cross barriers or markings on the floor - they are there to protect you and our staff
  • please wear a face covering, unless you have an exemption.

We will treat you as quickly and safely as possible. All staff providing clinical care will be wearing gloves, aprons and masks - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Hospital transport providers will now carry two patients at a time in some ambulances, two metres apart in the vehicle.

General information

For all dialysis patients (PD, home HD and hospital HD), CKD stage 3, 4 and 5 and transplant patients.

Vaccination

Everyone should have received their COVID-19 vaccinations: if you haven't, please speak to your Renal or Transplant team.

For information about COVID-19 vaccination, please visit:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS website

We advise clinically extremely vulnerable people to continue to take extra precautions to protect themselves. Follow the practical steps recommended by the Government to minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable

Dialysis was not specifically mentioned, but we believe it should have been.

Shielding

Some people will have other long-term health conditions in addition to their dialysis. NHS England considers these people to be in a vulnerable group.

The advice is here:

Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 - gov.uk

Dialysis was not specifically mentioned but we believe it should have been.

Returning to work

You can go to work if your workplace is COVID secure. Your manager must complete a risk assessment. If your workplace is not COVID secure, work from home if you can.

Please visit Kidney Care UK for information if you are unable to return to work.

Testing positive for coronavirus

If you test positive for coronavirus, stay at home, other than attending for dialysis, for the next ten days.

If you still have a temperature after ten days, continue to self-isolate until your temperature has been normal for 48 hours. Anyone living with you should self-isolate for 10 days.

Haemodialysis

If you are on haemodialysis, you need to come for your treatment.

The haemodialysis areas are carrying out weekly PCR tests on patients: this is not mandatory.

When you arrive at your dialysis unit we will take your temperature and ask you if you have any symptoms of coronavirus. You must then wash your hands before going straight to your dialysis bed or chair. We are moving patients swiftly to avoid congestion in our waiting areas.

Please do not enter any dialysis unit without permission. Doors will remain locked until opening time. Please do not bring relatives into hospital with you, unless this has been discussed with a senior dialysis nurse.

Visiting rules for dialysis units are the same as on the hospital wards - please see:

Visitor FAQs

If you have symptoms of coronavirus, you must still attend for haemodialysis.

Let the staff know upon arrival that you have symptoms.We will take a swab test in your local dialysis unit and place you in an isolation room in the unit. If the results come back negative, you will no longer need to isolate.

If you do have COVID-19 we will provide your dialysis in a dedicated isolation facility at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford for ten days from your positive result.

You must follow Government stay at home guidance, following a positive test result.

If you still have a temperature after ten days, you will continue to have dialysis in the Churchill Hospital isolation facility for a further 48 hours after your temperature has returned to normal.

The COVID Care@Home Team may offer support and give you an oxygen saturation monitor to take home. They will call daily to check on you and if necessary can arrange admission to hospital.

Peritoneal Dialysis

We are providing routine care following careful assessment of both staff and patients. We are using PPE for all visits in the hospital and home.

If a nurse visits you at home, please limit the number of people in your home to the patient and carer (other people in the house can go into a separate room).

We will not visit you if you have symptoms of COVID-19 but it is important to get a test - call 119 or use this online form.

Medications (hospital only prescribed)

Please ensure you always have at least two to four weeks' supply of hospital only prescribed medications at home.

If you have had a telephone consultation and would like to speak to a Pharmacist about a medications-related issue, contact the Renal and Transplant Pharmacy Team.

Tel: 01865 226105

Email: orh-tr.oxfordrenalpharmacy@nhs.net

Leave a voice message with your name and contact details and we will contact you within one working day.

For medication homecare delivery issues, contact the Renal and Transplant Outpatient Pharmacy Team first, rather than the homecare company, so we are aware of the issue and can follow it up for you.

If you come to hospital for an appointment, you can see a Pharmacist.

If you have agreed to collect your medications from hospital, ask a relative or nominated representative to do this for you if possible.

We may post medications to you, if discussed and agreed with a member of the Pharmacy Team.

Official websites

Information changes daily, so please check Government websites for up-to-date information.

Coronavirus (COVID‑19) - gov.uk

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS website

Kidney Care UK

Contact us

Oxford Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Unit
Tel: 01865 225792
Email: pd.team@ouh.nhs.uk

Wycombe PD Unit
Tel: 01494 426349

Swindon PD Unit
Tel: 01793 605288

Milton Keynes PD Unit
Tel: 01908 996465

Renal Ward / Renal Day Case
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 225780
24 hours, including weekends and Bank Holidays

Renal Dietitians
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 225061

Renal Pharmacists
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 226105

Main Haemodialysis Unit
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 225780

Tarver Haemodialysis Unit
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 225695

Milton Keynes Haemodialysis Unit
Tel: 01908 996496

Stoke Mandeville Haemodialysis Unit
Tel: 01296 316996

Banbury Haemodialysis Unit
Currently at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford
Tel: 01865 737556

High Wycombe Haemodialysis Unit
Tel: 01494 426347

Swindon Haemodialysis Unit
Tel: 01793 605286

Wytham Ward
Churchill Hospital
Tel: 01865 253010

Oxford Pre Dialysis Nurses
Tel: 01865 226158 / 225359

Anaemia Team, Oxford
Tel: 01865 225210 / 226657