Background to the guidelines: In 2005 the Department of Health and Children (DOHC) published The Prevention of Transmission of Blood-Borne Diseases in the Healthcare Setting in which chapter 5 contained guidance specific to; haemodialysis (HD), continuous ambulatory/cycling peritoneal dialysis (CAPD/CCPD) and transplantation units. In 2008 the National Standing Advisory Committee for Blood-Borne Diseases, following submissions from interested parties, convened a sub-group to review the recommendations advised for HD, CAPD/CCPD and transplant units. The revised guidelines were published in 2010.

However, a number of issues were identified that required guidance to be revised and these included

• Guidance regarding the dialysis of patients who are HCV RNA positive.


• Guidance regarding dialysis of patients who are currently undergoing anti-viral treatment or those individuals who have had a sustained virological response to anti-viral treatment.

The guidelines are available here