Primary Care

As acute kidney injury warning stage test results for adults begin to be received electronically in primary care, Think Kidneys has developed a range of resources specifically for primary care.

The links below will provide members of the multidisciplinary team caring for people with, or at risk of AKI with information and guidance on how to respond. The aim is to improve safety and outcomes for patients.

As part of our work to develop an AKI Toolkit with the RCGP, these resources were reviewed in 2018, and will next be reviewed in June 2021. You can access the toolkit here.

Quick Guides

• Practical guide to AKI – a pocket sized guide containing useful information for community workers
• Managing Children with AKI in Primary Care
• Recommended Response Times to AKI Warning Stage Test Results for Adults in Primary Care – Table 1
• Recognising and Responding to AKI in Primary Care – Table 2
• Quick Guide to Potentially Problematic Drugs and Actions to Take in Primary Care
• When to restart drugs stopped during AKI

Introduction to AKI

• Acute Kidney Injury in Primary Care video – As warning stage test results for AKI are received in primary care, why is this important and what difference will it make?

Patient Advice

• Info leaflet for patients at risk of AKI
• Info leaflet for patients at risk of AKI – for print
• Info leaflet for patients who have had AKI
• Info leaflet for patients who have had AKI – for print
• Info leaflet for parents and carers 
• Info leaflet for parents and carers – print version
• Info leaflet for young people
• Info leaflet for young people – print version
• Acute Kidney Injury Easy Read leaflet – Easy read is an accessible format of providing information designed for people with a learning disability.  The easy read format is easy to understand because it uses simple, jargon free language, shorter sentences and supporting images.
• Infographic – Almost everything you need to know about your kidneys

Detailed Information

• Changes in kidney function and serum potassium during ACEI/ARB/diuretic treatment in primary care
• Communities at risk of developing acute kidney injury – publication detailing those most at risk of AKI
• Medicines Optimisation for AKI
• Resources for Primary Care
• Responding to AKI Warning Stage Test Results in Primary Care
• Think Kidneys and Primary Care – a PowerPoint slide set for teaching on AKI
• Think Kidneys Nutrition Guide

Advice for those caring for Mental Health Patients

• Guidance for Mental Health professionals on the management of AKI
• Recommended response times to AKI Warning Stage Test Results for Adults in Mental Health Facilities – Table 1
• Recognising and Responding to Acute Kidney Injury in Mental Health Facilities – Table 2
• Medicines Optimisation for AKI

Online Learning

• RCGP AKI E-Learning Module – developed in partnership with the Think Kidneys programme

Other Resources

• Discharge summary minimum data content for AKI
• Responding to Acute Kidney Injury Warning Stage Test Results in Primary Care Poster
• Sick Day Guidance Statement
• The use of oliguria to detect AKI position statement
• Understanding what the public know about their kidneys – report of low awareness and understanding of kidneys, their function and how to keep them healthy
• Why measure? The importance of data – Background to the patient safety alert for AKI and prevalence

External Resources and Case Studies

• Bradford Case Study – Electronic Health Records Shared, Nephrons Spared!

Think Kidneys App

We have an app containing many of the Think Kidneys resources. Download your app here:

• Apple
• Android