Employment and Dialysis Patients: Guidance for Employers

Dialysis patients can be subjected to unfair treatment at work - although most are treated fairly.

There are two Acts of Parliament which introduce and provide a means of enforcing rights preventing discrimination against disabled people:- The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) Act 1999

Please note that the employment provisions apply to employers with 15 or more employees.

Patients and Employers should  visit http://www.disability.gov.uk/. There you will find many pages and links to helpful information.

The following notes may prove to be a helpful introduction and summary and can be given to an employer seeking general guidance.

Guidance for Employers

Renal failure is a relatively uncommon illness and most employers have no experience of an employee with this condition. Lack of experience has led to uncertainty amongst some employers as to the suitability of a person in renal failure to be in employment. As a rule, these doubts are unfounded.

Historically, dialysis treatment (performing the failed kidneys’ function of cleaning the blood) was very time consuming and the patient could find it debilitating. However, medical advances in recent years have shortened dialysis hours and medication has vastly improved the patient’s general health. There are two types of dialysis:-

1. Haemodialysis:  The patient receives treatment by a kidney machine: he is connected to the machine 2 or 3 times per week, 3-5 hours per session. A patient may attend hospital for dialysis or manage his own treatment at home. Outside dialysis hours the patient is fully mobile and able to carry out his usual activities.
2. Peritoneal dialysis: Dialysis is performed by a special fluid carried in the abdomen, giving the patient full mobility during treatment. The fluid is changed 3 or 4 times per day, a process which takes about half to three quarters of an hour. At a place of employment, the patient will require a clean environment (and privacy) in order to carry out a mid-day fluid exchange and possibly an area to store dialysis fluid. They can do this unaided. Alternatively, automated dialysis takes place at night with either a single or no fluid change needed during the day.

The few weeks prior to the start of dialysis treatment is when the patient is most likely to feel ill. His kidneys are functioning to only a small degree and he is in need of treatment. When dialysis begins there will be a period of time, usually 6-12 weeks, when his response to treatment is carefully monitored and he begins to regain his strength as adjustments to treatment are made to provide the dialysis regime best suited to his needs. Therefore, absence from work can be expected just prior to and for a few weeks after starting dialysis.

When optimum dialysis is established, and provided there are no severe complicating conditions, a renal patient can expect to resume most normal activities and return to work. Very heavy work (lifting) is not advised but there are hundreds of renal patients holding down jobs in clerical, sales and professional areas, and doing light manual jobs. The DVLA does not prohibit renal patients from driving.

The Disability Discrimination Act forbids discrimination in employment against disabled people and responsibilities under this Act start at the recruitment stage. Employers are required to look at what changes (termed ‘reasonable adjustments’ under the Act) can be made in the workplace to enable a disabled person to perform his duties. A renal patient will not usually require any special adaptations but, depending on the form of therapy, may need his employer’s co­operation in adjusting working hours to meet his treatment schedule and attend clinics.

The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for information provided. The above is for guidance only.

| NKF Home Page | Helpline | Contact Us | What's New | About the NKF | Holiday Pages | UK State Benefits | Useful Links | Perceptions | NKF Conferences | Letters | NKF Business | Books | NKF News | NKF Membership | Make a Donation | Organ Donor Cards | Kidney Life | Medical FAQs |

The National Kidney Federation is registered in England and Wales as a Company limited by guarantee (Company No 5272349) and awarded charitable status (Charity Number 1106735). Give as You Earn contributions No. CAF GY511.

Registered Office:- The Point, Coach Road, Shireoaks, Worksop, Notts S81 8BW, Tel: (01909) 544999, Fax: (01909) 481723, Helpline: (0845) 601 02 09, E-mail:

This website is intended for UK residents only.
If you have any comments about this site, please EMAIL the webmaster