Kidney Beam, the platform helping kidney patients’ wellbeing through live, online and on-demand exercise classes and programmes, is being bolstered by support across the kidney community.
In an unprecedented move, the UK Kidney Association is joining forces with Kidney Research UK, Kidney Care UK and the National Kidney Federation, to provide financial support to help run the platform for the next six months. The goal is to sustain the live and on-demand classes and programmes which have proved vital to over 800 patients, and, ultimately we want NHS providers to adopt Kidney Beam as a commissioned service.
What is Kidney Beam?
Kidney Beam is an online platform designed just for kidney patients and is a collaboration between King’s College Hospital NHS Trust and Beam, a digital exercise, education and well-being platform for people with chronic health conditions. NHS professionals and qualified experts deliver both live movement classes and an ‘on-demand’ library of video classes. The physiotherapy-led classes have been developed into an on-demand 12-week programme mirroring the renal rehabilitation in-hospital programme support that currently only some patients have access to.
The digital delivery of this programme through Kidney Beam makes it accessible to patients across the whole of the UK and allows people to participate without having to leave the house and on a schedule that works best for them. Participants are motivated to take part and maintain activities through email support, clinician encouragement and the ability to interact in group sessions.
Great news for patients
Dr Sharlene Greenwood, Consultant Physiotherapist for King’s College Hospital NHS Trust and clinical lead for Kidney Beam said: “Our research is showing that the platform has proved to be a lifeline to people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we can confidently predict it will continue to be, even in more normal times. I am delighted to have this further support in place in time for kidney patients looking to improve their health and wellbeing in the new year.“
Kidney Beam continues to be free for kidney patients and healthcare professionals to access and offers classes and exercise programmes designed for people at different levels of fitness and kidney health. To register for your free membership, visit: Kidney Beam
