Priorities
- To educate the public on the risks that high blood pressure and
vascular disease pose to the health of their kidneys , and encourage those
at risk from associated conditions such as diabetes, (the single largest
cause of kidney disease), those with a family history of kidney problems,
or from South Asian, African or Caribbean backgrounds, to get their
kidneys checked.
- To ensure maximum local and national exposure for kidney disease and
kidney care is achieved on World Kidney Day (this occurs annually on the 2
nd Thursday in March) and to spread the message that kidney disease is
common, harmful and treatable. (www.worldkidneyday.co.uk)
- To support the work of the Organ Donation Taskforce in improving
transplantation rates in the UK.
- To engage with the renal community, policy makers and the Department
of Health to contribute to and monitor work on home dialysis capability
and support our member groups in their initiatives to improve and increase
dialysis services.
- To work with and educate colleagues in primary care to ensure
implementation of the new Chronic Kidney Disease guidelines, and increase
awareness of associated conditions.
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Listening to the patient voice
The Kidney Alliance conducted a UK-wide survey of patients with known kidney
disease. On the National Kidney Federation website, December 2008-March 2009
www.kidney.org.uk/surveys
Survey Highlights
- 50% of people with kidney disease said they had no previous symptoms.
- Only 50% o f the people with symptoms were checked for kidney disease by
their GP, and nearly a third of them had to ask for tests.
- 50% of people at high risk and with symptoms were unaware they might have
kidney disease.
- 50% of people with advanced kidney disease had been aware they were in a
high-risk group but had not felt empowered to ask their GP for tests.
- 50% of those checked by their GP for kidney disease were checked because
they had high blood pressure.
- Only 10% of the people with kidney disease had been aware they were in a
high risk group and therefore asked their GP to test them for kidney disease.
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