Final locations of the renal unit after its move from Knightsbridge

Following the closure of the Knightsbridge building, the renal unit has been moved to locations around the hospital. These moves were completed with the relocation of the Renal Transplant Clinic and the Home Therapies team (PD & Home HD). Details of these changes are outlined below, along with the previously announced moves.

Visit here for a map of the hospital annotated with these locations.

The new locations of the team are as follows:

The Renal ward & Acute Dialysis

Location

The renal ward has moved from Buckland to Champneys Ward on the 4^th floor in Lanesborough Wing.

Directions

Follow the signs to Lanesborough Wing. Take the lift to the 4^th floor.
Exit the lift & turn right, then immediately right again.
At the end of the corridor, the entrance to the ward is on the left.
Buzz the intercom button on the wall for entry.

The Setup

The current setup has

17-18 beds on the ward (this is varying based on the number of beds used by Acute Dialysis)
The ward beds are arranged as single-bed rooms and single-sex bays of 4 beds. Toilet and wash facilities are on the other side of the corridors from the bays.
An additional 5-6 beds/rooms are used as acute dialysis beds (that is for inpatients who need dialysis while on the renal or other wards as an emergency).
There are 23 TVs providing a subset of Freeview channels. Each bed, dialysis station and the Vascular Access Procedure Room have a TV. The basic services are provided by The St George's Kidney Patients Association. Further pay-TV and phone services are available on payment of a fee.
The water treatment facilities etc have been created to support dialysis on the ward.
Vascular access procedure room is much improved and is where dialysis lines will be fitted.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

An improvement in the heating system including cooling in the summer. This is planned for March/April. The vents were fitted before the move; the power unit is planned to arrive in February and implemented soon after.
Refurbishment of the toilet facilities. The move was made under time pressure and so the toilet facilities were not changed during the refurbishment at the end of 2016. There is a hospital-wide review of all facilities. It is hoped that, irrespective of the whole hospital, we can upgrade those on the renal ward.
Ward capacity. Due a general shortage of dialysis facilities on-site, Chronic (out-patient) Dialysis patients are being dialysed on the ward. Additional facilities for dialysis on site will release the space for more ward beds. In the meantime arrangements are being made to return Epson & St Helier patients back to the ward at St Helier sooner after specialist treatments and care at St George's to ease the pressure.

The Renal Transplant Clinic

Location

The Renal Transplant Clinic has moved from adjacent to the Buckland to share with Cardiology on the Ground floor in Atkinson Morley Wing.

Directions

Follow the signs to Atkinson Morley Wing.
If entering the building from the front,
- Go through the two sets of doors and pass reception.
- Head straight ahead, past the cafe on the right, towards another set of internal doors that span the entire building.
- Just before these doors turn right and go through a set of doors into Cardiothoracic Outpatients and Renal Transplant clinic waiting area. The reception is on the lefthand side. You don't need to join the cardiology queue as there is a dedicated Renal Receptionist.
If entering the building from the back (corridors from the rest of the hospital)
- Walk straight ahead to the end of the corridor (past the John Parker Theatre on your right)
- At the end of the corridor turn right. After a short distance the corridor opens up into a lobby area.
- Turn left towards the front of the building, (past the lifts to your left) and go though a set of doors that span the lobby.
- To your left you should see the "Tree of Life"
- Immediately turn left in front of, and past, the "Tree of Life" and go through a set of doors into Cardiothoracic Outpatients and Renal Transplant clinic waiting area. The reception is on the left hand side. You don't need to join the cardiology queue as there is a dedicated Renal Receptionist.
There are no permanent signs up yet so follow signs to Cardiothoracic Outpatients if unsure.

The Setup

In the current setup,

There is a dedicated reception (on the right hand side of the desk) for renal patients.
There are 3 rooms available for clinics, separate, but near to reception, currently arranged as follows:
- A consultation room with desk & consultation bed.
- A consultation & procedure room with 2 dialysis chairs for use in procedures such as IV iron infusions.
- A consultation and minor procedures room (e.g. biopsies)
The Renal Phlebotomist is based in a room nearby, just off the reception area of Cardiology investigations.
There are two waiting areas. Both are shared with Cardiology patients. The first opposite Renal reception. The second in the Cardiology investigations unit reception area (outside the Phlebotomist's room).
Unlike previously, these facilities are not dedicated to the Renal Transplant Clinic. They are shared with other renal clinics at different times (particular afternoons).
If you need to contact the Renal Transplant team the telephone numbers to contact them have not changed, but the nurses and doctors will not necessarily be based in the clinic area. They now have offices elsewhere in the hospital.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

Better signage to guide people to the new location & identify individual renal unit rooms.
Additional space through discussions with, and the consent of, the cardiology team.

Haemodialysis

Location

The haemodialysis facilities for chronic (out) patients have either moved to the trailer(s) by the Courtyard Clinic or to satellite locations.

Directions

The location of the dialysis trailers is in the car park outside the Courtyard Clinic, just off the perimeter road.
View this map for the location of the Courtyard Clinic. The trailers are on the northwest side of the hospital near to previous entrance to the Knightsbridge Wing & Buckland Ward, approximately where the bicycle storage symbol is on the map.
For details of the satellite locations and how to get there please read more here.

The Setup

The current setup has

More pictures and a description of the current trailer setup, can be found in this earlier article.
Most chronic dialysis patients have been moved to the satellite centres, such as Colliers Wood, Kingston and North Wandsworth.
Some patients are being dialysed on the ward but this is due to the current lack of space at the Tooting main hospital site.
Some other patients have been dialysing at Epsom & St Helier locations but under the care of St George's consultants.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

An additional 3-trailer system which would add a further 6-7 dialysis stations. This would allow approximately 36-42 patients, of the less well patients, currently dialysing in the satellite facilities to be brought back to the hospital. The new trailer will be located next the current trailer. The prerequisite demolision of a small building with asbestos in it has now been completed. The target date for the installation and commissioning of the unit would be May 2017.
The renal team is still looking for opportunities to set up dialysis facilities elsewhere in the hospital. As well allowing more patients to be repatriated to the hospital site, it will allow the recommencement of the Home Haemodialysis training programme.
Other new satellite centres are being considered.

Home Therapies (Peritoneal Dialysis & Home Haemodialysis)

Location

The home therapies team have moved to the 1^st Floor of St James Wing, within the Endoscopy Unit Area (Room 6).

Directions

The location of the Home Therapies treatment room is Room 6 within the Endoscopy Unit, 1^st Floor St James Wing (See the link for a site map).
Take the lifts (or stairs) to the 1^st floor.
Join the main hospital corridor and head in the direction of Grosvenor & Lanesborough Wings.
Keep alert for signs to the Endoscopy Unit as it is only a short distance along the corridor.
When you reach the doors to the Endoscopy unit, you may need to buzz reception (Button to the right of the door).
Enter the unit and follow the corridor to the right then left. You will then be in the reception area of Endoscopy. The reception desk is to your right hand side.
Either ask for directions to Home Therapies/Peritoneal Dialysis(PD) or continue past the reception desk on your right and turn along the corridor to the right.
At the end of the corridor go through a set of double doors.
The Home Therapies/PD room - Room 6 - is immediately straight ahead of you. Please knock before you enter.

The Setup

The current setup has

The room is a modern and well appointed room, however it only has the space for two patient chairs rather than the 3-4 previously.
In addition there is insufficient space for the staff to have their office located in the same area or close-by and so they are located in the staff offices in Grosvenor Wing.
This means that there is no longer the ability for patients to drop-in. An appointment must be booked to arrange treatment, seek advice or acquire top-up supplies.
Until further facilities are identified the Home Haemodialysis programme is suspended to new patients.
It is expected that the team will have to move again within 6 months.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

In the short term some minor changes in screening need to be made to allow privacy between patients.
When the team is move again (approximately mid-year) a larger room is needed so that staff can deal with more patients at one time, have desk facilities so that patients are able to drop-in and are closer to the PD supplies.
It will also need to either be close to dialysis facilities, or incorporate them into the home therapies room, to allow the Home Haemodialysis training programme to recommence.

Advanced Kidney Care, Anaemia and other renal clinics

Location

The location of Renal Clinics will vary according to particular team you are seeing, but

Generally, those clinics that take place in Ground Floor Lanesborough, Clinic A, such as Home Therapies, will continue there.
Other clinics will share the Renal Transplant Clinic rooms, usually in the afternoons (e.g. Transplant surgeon consultations, Anaemia & Advanced Kidney Care Clinics).
Appointments with the social worker, counsellor, dieticians and other professionals will be made specifically with them
As always, check your appointment letters for details of where you should go. You can check or change these details at any time by ringing central bookings (Outpatient appointments – 020 8725 0007) or for changes, visiting their website.

Directions

For directions to the Renal Transplant Clinic area, on the ground floor of Atkinson Morley Wing see here.
You will find \ m\p th\t shows the location of Outpatient Clinics on the Ground Floor Lanesborough Wing here where it is marked "Outpatients".

The Setup

The current setup is, as described above, with:

The location and duration of the clinics will be described in appointment letters.
In general, due to increased space constraints, even less space for ad hoc appointments and consultations.
Some professionals will again be looking for ad hoc solutions to appointments.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

An increase in the clinic space available through discussions with, and the consent of, the cardiology team.
Clarification about where professionals in the renal support teams can hold consultations.

Vascular Access

Location

The location of the Vascular Access Procedures Room is near reception on Champneys Ward. Currently the Renal Access Nurses that conduct pre-operative assessments of lines, grafts & fistulas do not have a new location for appointments yet. Check letters for details of any appointment.

Directions

For directions to the Champneys Renal Ward on the 4th Floor, Lanesborough Wing, see here.

The Setup

The current setup has:

The location and duration of the clinics or procedures described in appointment letters.
Been described by those familiar with the setup on Buckland Ward as a marked improvement in facilities for those using the Vascular Access Procedures Room.
In general, due to increased space constraints, even less space for ad hoc appointments and consultations.
Some professionals again looking for ad hoc solutions to appointments.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

An increase in the clinic space available through discussions with, and the consent of, the cardiology team.
Clarification about where the Vascular Access professionals can hold consultations.

Staff Offices

Location

2nd Floor, Grosvenor Wing. However, this is not intended for access by most patients.

Directions

Above the main reception area of Grosvenor Wing (where Marks & Spencer is)

The Setup

The current setup has:

The best way to contact staff is either:
- Ask a nurse at a clinic or on dialysis or on the ward,
- Use one of the hospital contact details found here
- If you are after a specific member of staff, some details can be found here
- Check on an appointment by ringing central bookings (Outpatient appointments – 020 8725 0007) or to make changes, visiting their website.
The majority of renal doctors, nurses, support staff and professionals have moved here. In the main, staff previously based in the "Portabcabin" outside the old Renal Transplant Clinic in Knightsbridge Wing have moved there..
Some staff who previously had offices co-located with their clinic areas, such as transplant clinic nurses or PD nurses have also moved to the same floor of Grosvenor wing when not working in their respective unit areas.

Improvement Plans

We are hoping a number of improvements will take place in 2017. They include:

Staff are generally much happier in these offices which are warmer and central within the hospital.
It may be desirable for some of the staff to be co-located with their clinical unit to increase productivity and flexibility.

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