2022
Introduction NKF is pleased to publish this ‘One Year On’ report on its campaign to increase home dialysis following the publication of the report on ‘Increasing Home Dialysis in the Context of Covid-19 in the UK’ in January 2021. https://www.kidney.org.uk/home-dialysis-campaign#Report The purpose of this report is to share details about the campaign, to urge the kidney community to take further action and to share details of the NKF campaign for 2022. The 2021 report made seven recommendations and these can be found here – https://www.kidney.org.uk/recommendations-of-the-2021home-dialysis-report/ The NKF campaign in 2021 consisted of engaging at a national level with patients, governments, representatives of the Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP), The UK Kidney Association (UKKA), Kidney Quality Improvement Partnership (KQuIP) and renal Industry Partners. At a local level, there was engagement with Clinical Directors of Renal Services and Chairpersons of Kidney Patients Associations (KPAs). A home dialysis survey of kidney patients was undertaken by the NKF in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire. In addition, the NKF established a national Home Dialysis Peer Support Service for patients and carers and published a leaflet on home dialysis.
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The overall progress of increasing the provision of home dialysis in the UK, based on analysis of the 2020 data by the UK Renal Registry (UKRR), is disappointing. The NKF’s view is that this may be mainly because of the impact of Covid-19 on renal services and the staffing challenges facing the NHS generally with the subsequent impact on training for staff and new patients. The NKF fully appreciates the ongoing pressures that the NHS faces, the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic and any new variants which may emerge. However, there is a great deal of support within the renal community for increasing the provision of home dialysis and a willingness to improve, locally among Clinical Directors and nationally through the RSTP, UKKA and others.
