What is peer support?
Kidney Care UK's peer support service offers people living with kidney disease the chance to be supported by someone who has lived experience of kidney disease and who knows what they are going through. We also support family members, carers and donors.
Getting peer support is simple. Here’s how it works:
You’ll just need to answer a few quick and easy questions – no medical history is required. Once that’s done, our team will match you with the most suitable volunteer, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way.
Our volunteers are based all across the UK, so your match could be someone local or from a different part of the country. All peer support sessions are held virtually or over the phone – whichever feels most comfortable for you.
Simply fill in our form below to refer yourself to the Peer Support service:
Are you a healthcare professional making a referral on a patient or carer's behalf? Please fill in our Peer support referral form for healthcare professionals instead.
My phone call with the peer supporter was very good, it was nice to get a feeling of balance, of not feeling it's "the end of the world". Hearing their positive outlook really helped me to find mine.
What kind of issues can I receive support for?
Whether you have questions about kidney disease, aren't sure what to expect from treatment, or just want to talk with somebody who has been there, our peer support can help. Below are a some examples of common issues we receive referrals about:
- Making treatment decisions
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Haemodialysis
- Home haemodialysis
- Dealing with CKD and diabetes
- Preparing to give or receive a transplant
- Receiving a kidney from a living donor
- Receiving a kidney from a deceased donor
- Life after a kidney transplant
- Caring for someone with CKD
It's very different speaking to someone who has done it already, and understands the emotional rollercoaster you experience on the kidney disease journey.
Where is the Kidney Care UK peer support service available?
Peer support is available UK-wide. Our Peer Support service began in partnership with the London Kidney Network and several NHS Trusts in London, where we worked to embed peer support into everyday kidney care.
Since then, we have expanded our partnership to work closely with Trusts in the North East of England and Cumbria, with more regions coming on board soon. You can refer yourself or ask for a referral in any part of the UK.
We're proud to be building a UK-wide network where peer support can become a core part of care for everyone affected by kidney disease.
I would like to share my experience to help other kidney patients. How do I become a peer support volunteer?
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, give us a call on 0808 801 00 00 (Monday to Friday) or send us an email at [email protected]. Our team will let you know if we are currently looking for volunteers or if the application process is paused.
To volunteer you must be 18 years or older. Please be aware that our onboarding process includes:
- Training specific to peer support
- Character reference checks
- ID check
- Regular refresher training for the role
It helped so much to realise that things you thought were you being silly were actually quite common to other people in similar situations.