Construction work has started on a new £5m dialysis centre at Aintree Hospital, which will improve access to the service for patients across Liverpool. The centre will replace the current Aintree clinic and Waterloo unit.
The new facility will have capacity for around 160 patients, approximately 42% more than the current Aintree clinic, meaning more people will have access to dialysis and better care in a modern setting. The development is being delivered in partnership with Fresenius Medical Care and is expected to complete in Summer 2027, with the first patients expected to receive treatment from July.
Expanded facilities and home dialysis training
In addition to increasing the number of dialysis stations from 19 to 27, there will be a dedicated six-station home dialysis training facility, alongside shared-care and self-care areas. These facilities will help patients better understand their treatment, build confidence in managing aspects of their care and, where appropriate, support a transition to dialysing at home.
Patients have been engaged in the development of plans for the centre, which has been designed with their comfort and convenience in mind, bringing in natural light to support wellbeing and providing a central location with dedicated patient parking, including EV charging.
Sustainability and lower-carbon design
The centre will feature enhanced insulation, air-source heat pumps, LED lighting, smart ventilation controls and approximately 75kW of rooftop solar capacity. Together, these measures are designed to minimise the building's operational carbon footprint.
Dr Andy Nicolson, Group Chief Medical Officer at NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said: "This is great news for our patients. People who rely on regular dialysis spend a lot of time in treatment, so the environment they receive care in really matters, and I'm delighted that work has now started on a new centre that will improve the experience of dialysis for the communities we serve.
"Local patients are at the heart of this project, but its significance is national. Together with Fresenius Medical Care, we want Liverpool to show how modern patient facilities and lower-carbon design can go hand in hand."
Partnership and future impact
Jonathon Lawrence, Managing Director UK & Ireland at Fresenius Medical Care, said: "Dialysis is essential. Reducing the environmental impact of the buildings that support it must be a priority too. This centre puts lower-carbon design at the heart of kidney care infrastructure.
"We are always striving to improve the care we provide to patients and where possible, reduce our environmental impact. This centre is a great example of that in practice and we hope it can show what is possible for renal care across the UK."
