Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what system his Department has in place to help ensure that NHS trusts reimburse patients who dialyse at home for the cost of the energy required to run their dialysis machines.

For adult home dialysis, NHS England do not reimburse patients directly. Patients’ additional direct utility costs, which may include electricity, water, gas and telephone, are met through the payment of the national tariff to providers, which provide reimbursement to the individual. The costs reimbursed should be based on documentary evidence, such as copies of utility bills before and after the specialised equipment was introduced. The costs should be agreed between the provider and the individual patient.

For paediatric home haemodialysis, there is currently no national tariff and as such, it is at the discretion of individual providers as to whether they reimburse additional direct utility costs for patients.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy monitors the energy market in the United Kingdom to ensure it meets the need of all consumers, including those receiving medical treatment at home.