We have responded to the NHS 10-Year Health Plan consultation, emphasising the need for transformative action in kidney care. Our submission outlines specific recommendations across the five key areas to address the pressing challenges in kidney health:
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Prevention & Early Detection:
- Increase testing for high-risk groups, including the restoration of incentives for urine ACR testing.
- Roll out the Kidney Failure Risk Equation to identify those at greatest risk of progression.
- Disseminate practical chronic kidney disease (CKD) guidelines, such as those developed by the London Kidney Network.
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Workforce Development:
- Strengthen collaboration between primary care and specialist renal services to support community-based kidney care.
- Expand education and training for primary care teams to improve CKD detection and management.
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Digital Innovation:
- Link the UK Renal Registry with OpenSAFELY to optimise prescribing and better understand CKD progression.
- Implement data-driven tools like the Dialysis Occupancy Measure to manage and expand dialysis capacity.
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Personalised Care:
- Promote culturally appropriate peer support programmes to improve therapy adherence and support live kidney donation in underserved communities.
- Expand lifestyle intervention services such as Kidney Beam to support exercise and weight management.
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Research & Innovation:
- Enhance the infrastructure for academic nephrology to bridge evidence gaps in kidney care.
- Extend the RADAR rare disease database to support equitable access to specialist treatments nationwide.
Our recommendations reflect the unique challenges faced by kidney patients and the multi-professional teams who care for them. By addressing these priorities, we aim to ensure that kidney care is central to the NHS's vision for the future.
Download our full submission below.