Our aims

Archived Content Notice

You are currently accessing the Think Kidneys website. Please be aware that this site is an archive and contains content from the Think Kidneys project, which concluded in 2019. As a result, the information presented here is no longer being updated or maintained.

For the most current and relevant information, we encourage medical professionals to visit the UK Kidney Association for comprehensive resources and updates in the field. Patients and their families can find valuable, patient-centric information and support at Kidney Care UK.

We thank you for your understanding and invite you to explore these recommended resources for up-to-date insights and guidance in kidney care and health.

One of NHS England’s most important aims is

to ensure the NHS becomes dramatically better at involving patients and their carers, and empowering them to manage and make decisions about their own care and treatment and to enhance quality of life for people with long term conditions

This is the basis of the Transforming Participation in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) programme.

We are working together, sharing and learning to help people develop more knowledge, skills and confidence so that they are supported to be as involved and engaged in their care as possible.

Our work will focus on…

  • Working with renal units and their patients to support, facilitate and measure the difference and improvement in care and outcomes for patients with kidney disease
  • Developing a pathway of care for local health communities starting with people’s skills, knowledge and confidence and offering a full range of information, support for self-management, self-care, shared care and peer support. This will help people manage their condition, plan their care and improve their physical and mental wellbeing
  • Sharing and learning from what currently exists so that we are not re-inventing the wheel but building on the success of pioneers in this important work

We will be answering the following questions…

  1. Is it possible to routinely gather information about a patient’s level of skills, knowledge and confidence which might help patients to manage their own kidney health?
  2. Does a patient with a high level of skills, knowledge and confidence have a better personal reported health and experience outcome (patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient reported experience measures (PREMs) than someone who does not understand how to self-manage their own care?
  3. Can the use of intervention programmes such as peer support, education days, one to one support and coaching, help to improve a patient’s level of skills, knowledge and confidence to manage their own kidney health needs?