The new $3 million Ōhane Dialysis Unit at Tauranga Hospital has doubled the number of dialysis chairs previously available, meaning more patients can receive care closer to home.

The unit, which took about nine months to build, was given a ceremonial blessing on Friday, September 8, before opening its doors to patients yesterday.

Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi Clinical Nurse Manager Renal Katie Johanson says it represents a step forward in renal care for the Bay of Plenty.

“We’re doubling the number of dialysis chairs available, going from seven to 14. That means we can care for up to 56 patients a week when we’re fully operational.

“And it means we can dialyse more people closer to their home, so here’s less travelling for them.

“Our goal is to make the new unit as accessible, welcoming and patient-centred as possible. It’s a huge burden on a patient’s life to go on dialysis three times a week and we want to make that as positive an experience as possible.

“We’ve also got a goal with the new building to help patients become more independent. There’s more space, so we’ll have more time with them, and they’ll have their own kitchenette area, so they can make it more homely and more welcoming for their whānau.

“One of our patients, Bill Nepia, gifted us the name of the building, the Ōhane Dialysis Unit, which made it even more special.”

Geraldine ‘Geri’ Stantiall who has been on haemodialysis for seven years, following type 2 diabetes complications which led to kidney failure, said the unit would be good for staff as well as patients.

“All the patients are really looking forward to moving in,” she says.

“It’ll be lovely to be in surroundings which are more modern and comfortable. It’ll be nice for the nurses and doctors here as well. They are amazing, they always try to work things out for us, and we discuss our care with them. They’re very compassionate people.”

Geri has three five-hour ‘shifts’ each week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Tauranga mother-of-two said one of the hardest parts of being on dialysis was when fellow patients passed away.

“You spend so long in here together that you form a bond. I love all the patients that come here and, sadly, we’ve lost three people in the last three weeks,” she says.

Looking to the future, Geri said more needed to be done to prevent the need for dialysis units.

“Prevention is better than cure, so it’s about stopping people getting to this point. If you educate people with pre-diabetes and diabetes you can avoid the need for dialysis. Type 2 diabetes is about diet control. Educating young people in the community about their diet is where it all needs to start.”

Origins of the Ōhane Dialysis Unit name

The Ōhane Dialysis Unit name has been gifted by the Ngaitamarawaho hapu (subtribe) of Ngati Ranginui (tribe); acknowledged as being the mana whenua (having the mana of the land) upon which the unit stands.

Ōhane was a bathing place where Ngaitamarawaho whānau would go to sit in the frigid, healing waters to cleanse themselves of disease.

Ngaitamarawaho’s belief in gifting this name to the new renal unit is that both deal with te whakaora ai o te tinana (the cleansing of body and soul) and therefore align perfectly.