At our Kidney Care UK parliamentary roundtable in May, members of parliament heard powerful testimony from patients, GPs, kidney specialists and those leading kidney services about barriers to early intervention in CKD, as well as the solutions – some of which are already making a difference in specific local areas. There was a consensus that kidney health has been ignored for too long in NHS and government health programmes and that we can work together to change this.

We are pleased to share our report from the expert roundtable meeting in
parliament, which sets out clear actions for government that could help people
with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have their condition recognised earlier and
managed better, reducing the risk of progression to more serious disease.

Everyone at the meeting was positive about the opportunities for change. Increased support and focus from government and healthcare leaders, with a drive to put in place the policy and practice programmes that can make the change in kidney disease, would transform lives, reduce pressure on the NHS and help the wider UK economy.

Tackling barriers to early intervention in chronic kidney disease

Recommendations for action are:

1. Work to increase awareness and education on kidney disease among both the clinical workforce and the public.
2. The expansion of case-finding and early diagnosis initiatives, including ensuring those most at risk of developing kidney disease (people with diabetes and high blood pressure) are regularly screened for CKD.
3. Ensuring everyone is aware of their early-stage CKD and empowered – including with reliable information and access to support groups – to take control of their kidney health.
4. We want community based ‘neighbourhood’ approaches to identifying early kidney disease, as part of a joined-up approach to improving cardio-renal metabolic health.

Thank you to Anneka and Harkaran for telling their stories and to all of you for inviting your MPs.

These recommendations sit well with the NHS 10 year plan. We urge new neighbourhood health teams to build kidney checks into their joined-up approach to long-term conditions. The Diagnosis Connect service can make sure newly diagnosed people are referred to charities providing accredited information and it is vital this programme is extended to kidney disease.

Immediate action is necessary

We are extremely grateful to Dr Simon Opher MP, who, following the event, was motivated to write an open letter to health leaders expressing concern over the low priority given to kidney disease. It calls for support for GP surgeries to check for early signs of kidney disease and carefully manage people who already have it.

Read the letter on the UK's Kidney Association's website.

The open letter, signed by many high profile organisations, including the UK Kidney Association, the Royal College of Physicians and patient charities, states that “In our view, this situation is approaching crisis point, and immediate action is necessary.”

It is a great way to build on the success of our parliamentary event and stimulate real change. We encourage everyone to get involved in our campaigning work.

Please sign our joint letter to the Prime Minister from the kidney community calling for a national strategy on kidney disease.