A new 10-year plan for the NHS in England is in development. This will set the NHS on a path for the future and we want to make sure the plan leads to improvements in the care and support provided to people with kidney disease.
The 10-year plan will set out how to modernise the NHS so that it meets the changing needs of the population and the healthcare challenges that we are facing. It will focus on the three shifts that the government, health service, and experts agree need to happen. The shifts are:
- Moving care from hospitals to communities
- Making better use of technology
- Focusing on preventing sickness, not just treating it.
A diagnosis of kidney disease can mean people are lifelong users of the NHS, often with more support needed should kidney function deteriorate. The three shifts described above could improve the experience of people with kidney disease, for example by being able to access more care locally rather than having to go into hospital, or by having health issues spotted and treated early rather than when they are more severe.
It is really important that the 10-year plan makes things better for people with kidney disease, particularly as it can be a forgotten and not very well understood condition. We are working really hard to make sure your voices are heard and there are also opportunities for you to take part in the engagement work that is going on as the plan is being developed.
Please have a look at the different pieces of work we are doing on your behalf and consider getting involved. Together we can make things better for everyone affected by kidney disease.