NZ dialysis patients not at risk - renal board boss

The head of the national renal board says foreign patients seeking kidney treatment are not putting New Zealand dialysis patients at risk of reduced care. Immigration New Zealand documents said some dialysis treatments were cut back to accommodate urgent treatment of foreign patients. But Immigration now says that information - in a presentation by the department's chief medical officer - was based on past anecdotal evidence and there's no evidence reduced treatment is "currently happening". The chair of the National Renal Advisory Board Ian Dittmer told RNZ reporter Eva Corlett there are a small number of ineligible patients receiving care.