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Conference 2003 - Council Meeting
Sunday 28th September 2003

Chairman's report

• The revised NKF constitution has been ratified by the Charity Commission.

• Three new industry partners have joined the NKF and a further one may do shortly. Two industry partners subgroups meetings, led by the NKF, have been held this year and fully funded active campaigns set up. One is aimed at supporting KPAs for the campaigning necessary to influence the new Primary Care Trust (PCT) renal commissioning groups.

• The NKF website Home Page has had more than 200,000 visitors since it was launched. Calls to the NKF Helpline continue to increase and the Helpline office originates the many thousands of renal leaflets. Advocacy officer Bob Dunn continues to help individual cases and KPAs.

• The All Party Parliamentary Kidney Group is to become more focused, with the provisional programme to include: cash for kidneys; presentation on shortage of organs by Magdi Yacoub, and questions in the House of Commons which the NKF has been asked to supply. Dr Roger Greenwood has taken over as chair of the Kidney Alliance, and Gordon placed on record a vote of thanks to the retiring chairman, Austin Donohoe.

• NKF vice chairman Gary Lloyd has been re-elected to serve as NKF representative to CEAPIR 2003/4 with chief executive Tim Statham as back up.

• The Young Persons Group continues to grow.

• A five-year business plan 'Serving Kidney Patients' ensures that the NKF remains focused on its objectives and expands according to patient need. It recognises the need for another Helpline manager. The grant seeker appointment has been successful with a number of small to medium sized grants obtained with many applications still in the pipeline. Proposals of support offered to the NKF from patients, doctors and the legal profession are being actively pursued, and the NKF executive committee is laying plans to ensure that the NKF is well placed to deal with the massive changes on the way in
  renal services.

• Gordon expressed his disappointment that the NKF Agents pilot scheme, announced in the summer 2003 issue of Kidney Life, had had to be withdrawn because of lack of interest among KPAs. The offer was £60,000 for three years, to be shared amongst five or six KPAs in one area, but the most who offered were four in one area. Gordon said he was determined to take this further and it was a priority for the NKF.

Conference 2004

The 2004 NKF conference will be held at the Royal Court Hotel, Keresley, Coventry, from October 1 to 3. Chief executive
Tim Statham said that Fresenius would not be able to continue with a full subsidy.

"You should realise how much Fresenius has done for us", he said.

The NKF was faced with two options: Find another sponsor contributing around £25,000. Bracing delegates for a real cost, which could come as a shock. He promised that a decision would be announced by the NKF AGM in March.

UPDATE - It was announced in the Spring (February) 2004 edition of 'Kidney Life' (the NKF magazine) that 'Fresenius have re-considered that decision in the light of the success of the 2003 Conference and have opted to remain as the sole, main sponsor of the 2004 Conference'.

Open forum

A motion was passed, proposed by Sarah Agboola of Guy's & St Thomas KPA "The urgent need for the NKF to clearly identify and widely publicise rules for a lifetime of good kidney health."

Advocacy officer Bob Dunn urged NKF members to apply for the patient forums which are being set up, particularly for Primary Care Trust forums. Included among the conference pack were leaflets about the forums.

Membership enquiries can be made on 0845 120 7115 or on www.maketimeforhealth.org.

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