Swansea Bay Health Board has submitted a planning application to convert the former Physique gym in Brackla into an outpatient dialysis unit.
Despite Bridgend’s move to the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, dialysis services are still provided by the Swansea Bay board.
Currently, patients from Bridgend who require dialysis have to travel to the renal unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.
The unit – which would be run by private company Fresenius Medical Care on behalf of NHS Wales– would have 21 dialysis bays and is expected to undertake over 13,000 rounds of treatment per year. The opening hours would be 6:30 am – 8:30 pm Monday-Saturday.
The former gym was chosen because of the available floor space, its relatively close proximity to the Princess of Wales Hospital and a large free car park.
According to the Kidney Research UK charity, demand for dialysis treatment is expected to increase, with some of the risk factors for developing kidney disease being obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
