NKF Campaigns Zone:
The Kidney Alliance

The Kidney Alliance was formed jointly by the Renal Association and the National Kidney Federation in 1998 to bring together the patients’ voice and professionals committed to renal medicine. The Kidney Alliance is an umbrella body representing all organisations involved in renal services. Its mission: “to ensure high quality treatment for all patients with kidney failure on an equal and uniform base throughout the UK.”

Founder member organisations include:-

• British Renal Symposium (BRS)
• British Transplant Society (BTS)
• National Kidney Federation (NKF)
• National Kidney research Fund (NKRF)
• Renal Association
• Joint Royal College of Physicians (London)/Renal Association Committee
• Society of DGH Nephrologists
• Royal College of Nursing
• Kidney Research Unit for Wales Foundation

The founding Chairman of the Alliance is Mr Austin Donohoe, former chairman of the NKF.

As a first task, The Alliance produced a report “End Stage Renal Failure - A Framework for Planning and Service Delivery” which was published in January 2001. The document, which deals with dialysis only, was an important milestone and led to the Government announcing in February 2001 its intention to publish a Renal National Service Framework dealing with both Dialysis and Transplantation.

From campaigning towards a National Service Framework, the Alliance like the NKF, has now positioned itself to work with the Government in the production of the NSF.