Recent announcements in the UK and beyond offer opportunities to make a real difference to the lives of people with kidney disease. Read on to find out what Kidney Care UK is most excited about in 2026.

1. NICE prioritises chronic kidney disease

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has announced that it is making kidney disease a priority for 2026. This is a significant and welcome step forward, bringing long-overdue recognition to a condition that affects millions of people but has too often been overlooked.

NICE will prioritise creating and updating guidance on kidney disease, with the aim of speeding up access to effective new treatments. This has the potential to create stronger momentum behind ensuring people receive the right treatments at the right time.

This is the first time kidney disease has been prioritised by NICE, and the decision reflects the growing prevalence of the condition, persistent rates of underdiagnosis, and the way kidney disease commonly occurs alongside other long-term conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Addressing kidney health more effectively is essential to improving overall population health.

2. World Health Organisation political declaration on non-communicable diseases approved by 175 nations

In May 2025 the World Health Assembly formally adopted a resolution on reducing the burden of kidney disease. In December this was followed by a United Nations political declaration on long term conditions, which also includes CKD. The presence of kidney disease could lead to its prioritisation for every government, including funding and programmes of work; it was an important addition that was missed in the first draft. With the UK government supporting the inclusion of CKD in the declaration, we hope they will be encouraged to prioritise a national kidney strategy.

3. Kidney community working together to call for a national kidney disease strategy

In October 2025, Kidney Care UK joined forces with the UK Kidney Association, Kidney Research UK, the National Kidney Federation and the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Charity to deliver a petition signed by more than 13,000 people to Downing Street.

Together we are calling for a national kidney disease strategy to improve early detection and prevention, fair access to high quality treatment, including dialysis and transplantation. As part of this work, and as the government looks at how they will roll out the 10 Year Health Plan, we’re working together to ensure any plans to help people with kidney disease are created by people who have or understand kidney disease.

Throughout 2026 we will be working to bring together people from across the kidney community to shape this strategy. Read more on the UKKA's website: Voices to Vision: Co-designing a Kidney Disease Strategy

4. NICE health technology appraisal changes

From April 2026, health technologies (like wearable technology and monitoring devices) that are reviewed and approved for use in the NHS must be funded and made available to patients.

NICE will review the effectiveness of a technology and, if the evidence shows it is a good use of NHS funds, will recommend it as an option for treatment or management. As is currently the case for medicines, from April 2026 local NHS bodies will be legally required to fund health technologies that NICE recommend.

Announcements about what will be reviewed first are expected soon, but we are excited about the potential for innovative new technologies that can support the identification, treatment and management of kidney disease to become available for more people.

5. Bloody Amazing Kidneys

Since launching in October 2024, Kidney Care UK's Bloody Amazing Kidneys campaign has gone from strength to strength.

More than 280,000 people have now completed our online Kidney Health Checker and the campaign has seen widespread support across the UK and at various levels of the NHS.

This year we are going out on the road with the campaign at UK Kidney Week in Harrogate in March, at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in Liverpool in April and the Primary Care Show in Birmingham in May.

We’re looking forward to more ways to get the Bloody Amazing Kidneys campaign talked about in 2026, especially following our Falling Through the G-App report published in December 2025.

In addition to this, the announcement of a new framework for GPs who want to take an extended role in kidney health by the Royal College of GPs is another reason to be optimistic. This framework, the first of its kind for kidney health, should help to support GPs to develop their skills to identify people with CKD as early as possible.

Be part of the change

There are lots of ways to get involved in Kidney Care UK's work to improve the lives of people with kidney disease. Visit our Fighting for Change page to join our campaigners' network or use our Email your MP templates to get in touch with your local member of parliament.

None of our vital services would be possible without the support of our generous donors and fantastic fundraisers: find out more about how to get involved.