Kidney Machines

Dr. Vaughan
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current number of kidney machines in use in the National Health Service; whether the total number has been reduced as an economy measure; and how the present figure compares with those for 1975, 1974 and 1973.

Mr. Moyle
There is no central record of the number of kidney machines in use, but the number of patients with chronic renal failure in England receiving treatment by haemodialysis during the last five years is as follows: ------------
|1973|1437 |
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|1974|1645 |
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|1975|1822 |
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|1976|2048*|
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|1977|2226 |
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These figures indicate that although some health authorities, for financial reasons, may have restricted the number of patients admitted to the dialysis programme, the total number of dialysis patients has continued to increase.

* This is an estimated figure as two units failed to make a return for 1976.