The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that advice should consider the person's personal circumstances alongside their clinical requirements.

Dialysis is used to filter waste products and excess fluid from the blood if the kidneys are not working properly. There are two main types: haemodialysis (when the blood is cleaned outside the body using a machine) and peritoneal dialysis (when the blood is cleaned inside the body using a special fluid via a small tube into a small space inside the abdomen). Both are effective, so the choice is often down to the lifestyle and circumstances of the individual.

In its clinical guideline,  National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises doctors and nurses to offer everyone with kidney failure (stage 5 chronic kidney disease) balanced and accurate information about their dialysis options. This includes people who have presented late or have had to start dialysis treatment urgently.