Nephrology

Welcome to the Nephrology Department at SVUH, where we offer expert, compassionate care for kidney disease patients. Our multidisciplinary team delivers personalised, state-of-the-art treatment through all stages of care, from early chronic kidney disease (CKD) education to dialysis and kidney transplantation.

SVUH is the national centre for kidney-pancreas transplantation in Ireland. Our innovative and integrated approach to clinical services is developed in partnership with affiliated hospitals across the Ireland East region. We offer both virtual and real-time consultations to primary care.

Services

• Inpatient and Nephrology consult services
• Outpatient clinics including
  • General nephrology
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Glomerular diseases
  • Inherited kidney diseases
  • Low clearance including kidney supportive care, a nurse led clinic and renal dietetics
• Transplantation (national centre for kidney-pancreas transplantation)
• Haemodialysis including a shared care programme
• Home dialysis therapies
• Plasmapharesis

Sub-specialty clinical assessment in:

• Obstetric nephrology
• Kidney stone disease
• Vasculitis and glomerular disease
• Inherited renal disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetic nephropathy

Research and Education

Through the Dublin Academic Medical Centre and in collaboration with our research partners at the Conway Institute in UCD, we have established a clinical career pathway that promotes excellence in education and research from undergraduate to postgraduate levels.

Consultants

• Prof. Alan Watson
• Dr. John Holian
• Dr. Aisling O'Riordan
• Dr. Andrew Malone
• Dr Sam Kant
• Dr Colin Lenihan

Other useful contact details

• Clinical Nurse Manager 3 – Michelle McQuaid
  • Email: mcquaid@svuh.ie
  • Tel:   (01) 221 3086
• Clinical Nurse Manager 2 – Gladys Sadang
  • Email: G.Sadang@svuh.ie
  • Tel:  (01) 221 4427
• Clinical Nurse Manager 1 – Angelo De Los Reyes
  • Email: angelodelosreyes@svhg.ie 
  • Tel: (01) 221 4427
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner – Rafael Souza
  • Email: rafaelsouza@svhg.ie
  • Tel: (01) 221 4427
• Clinical Nurse Specialist CKD – Rejani Nedumbanal and Rebecca Freeman
  • Email: ckdcns@svhg.ie
  • Email: rebeccafreeman@svhg.ie
  • Tel:   (01) 221 3519
  • Bleep: 640
• Clinical Nurse Specialist Transplantation – Juby Thomas
  • Email:  jsthomas@svhg.ie
  • Tel:   (01) 221 4553
  • Bleep: 608
• Clinical Nurse Specialist Peritoneal Dialysis – Jaspreet Kaur, Rita Clasby and Lyn Detoyato 
  • Email: peritdialysis@svhg.ie
  • Tel: (01) 221 5483 or (087) 406 8188
  • Bleep: 790
  • Tel: (01) 221 4493
• Senior Clinical Psychologist – Julie Lynch
  • Tel: (01) 221 4493
  • Click here for more information about Renal Psychology
• Social Worker – TBC
• Senior Renal Dietician – Rebecca Stanley
  • Tel: (01) 221 4225
• Dialysis Units
  • 4th floor unit tel: (01) 221 4427
  • Ground floor unit tel: (01) 221 3087
  • Beacon Renal Sandyford tel: (01) 906 5628 and website: https://beaconrenal.ie
• St. Helen’s Ward
  • Tel: (01) 221 4465 / 4090

Referral information

We accept consultant and GP referrals to our out-patient department. Referrals can be made via phone, fax, letter or email to the departmental secretary. All referrals are promptly reviewed and triaged by our consultant team.

Referral Guidelines

Here is a list of possible indications for Nephrology referral. These need to be individualised and all referrals will be considered and triaged appropriately.

1. eGFR < 30 or a risk of renal replacement therapy 3-5% over next five years as calculated by the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (The Kidney Failure Risk Equation)
2. A sustained decrease in eGFR ≥15 / year or ≥ 25 / year and a change in eGFR category
3. Persistent, significant albuminuria (ACR > 70mg/mmol) despite optimal medical management
4. ≥2-fold increase in ACR in people with significant albuminuria undergoing monitoring
5. Non-urological haematuria, especially if associated with proteinuria (ACR > 30mg/mmol)
6. CKD with hypertension not controlled on three /four agents
7. Known or suspected rare or genetic causes of CKD
8. Suspected renal artery stenosis
9. History of renal transplantation or kidney donation
10. Unexplained persistent electrolyte / acid base abnormalities
11. Recurrent or extensive renal calculi

Please address referrals to:

Department of Nephrology
4th Floor, St. Vincent’s University Hospital
Elm Park, Dublin 4

Useful links

• Irish Nephrology Society https://irishnephrology.ie/
• UK Kidney Association https://ukkidney.org/
• Irish Kidney Association https://ika.ie/
• National Renal Office Renal – HSE.ie
• Welcome to Irish Kidney Diet – Irish Kidney Diet
• The Kidney Failure Risk Equation)