Rules for Renal Dialysis

This chapter is relevant to both:

• individuals making a new application for Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP)
• individuals receiving PADP who report a change in their condition.

It describes the PADP rules of entitlement that apply to people receiving renal dialysis due to a disability or health condition (PADP regs, reg. 7)

PADP is awarded at two different rates, the lower rate and the higher rate. Rates of PADP describe the amount of money that is paid to the individual based on their needs.

Individuals receiving particular types of renal dialysis may be entitled to PADP under the rules for renal dialysis at the lower rate. If the individual is entitled to PADP under these rules, they do not need to meet the standard rules of the daytime or night-time conditions.

Those receiving renal dialysis may also have other disabilities or health conditions which have an impact on their needs. They may refer to this in their application form. Case managers should take the impact of other disabilities or health conditions into account when making a determination of entitlement to PADP.

When an individual both:

• satisfies the rules for renal dialysis
• has another disability or health condition that follows the standard rules of the daytime and night-time conditions

Case managers should refer to the ‘Dialysis and other needs’ section to understand Social Security Scotland’s approach to making a determination of entitlement.

Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned and can be performed at home or in a hospital.

There are two types of dialysis:

Haemodialysis

Haemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis and the one most people are aware of. Most people need three sessions of haemodialysis a week, with each session lasting around 4 hours. This can be done at home or in a hospital.

Peritoneal dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis uses the membrane of the covering of the internal abdominal organs (peritoneum) to act as a filter when a specific type of fluid is fed into the abdomen. There are 2 main types of peritoneal dialysis:

• continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), where an individual’s blood is filtered several times during the day
• automated peritoneal dialysis (APD), where a machine helps filter an individual’s blood during the night as they sleep

Both types of peritoneal dialysis can be done at home once an individual has been trained to carry it out themselves.

General information on the different types of dialysis is available on the NHS Inform or NHS Health A to Z webpages. If case managers require specific medical advice relating to an individual’s application for PADP, they should request a case discussion with a practitioner .