10/03/2022

The National Kidney Federation (NKF) have published an updated report on the findings of their campaign to increase home dialysis following its initial publication of the report on Increasing Home Dialysis in the Context of COVID-19 in the UK in January 2021.

Following the publication of the report in 2021 the NKF has engaged with Governments, representatives of the Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP), Clinical Directors of Renal Services, Chairpersons of Kidney Patients Associations (KPAs) and others to support their seven recommendations in the report.

Data produced of the overall progress in increasing the provision of home dialysis in the UK, based on analysis of the 2020 data by the UK Renal Registry (UKRR) is disappointing. However, there is a great deal of support within the renal community for increasing the provision of home dialysis and a willingness to improve; locally among Clinical Directors and nationally through the RSTP.

Results show that there are 49 centres, from a total of 70 centres, which have less than 20% of their dialysis patients dialysing at home (either Peritoneal Dialysis or Home Haemodialysis) in 2020. These centres, together with those which are doing well are listed in the report. Also, analysis using the ethnicity of patients on dialysis set out in this report shows the variations among ethnic groups. This analysis clearly shows that there is a long way to go before all centres in the UK reach the 20% home dialysis target recommended by the GIRFT and the NKF report.

The NKF campaign will continue throughout 2022. A hard copy of this report has been sent to the Health Ministers of the four Governments for their response. It has also been sent to the RSTP contacts so that they can consider these findings in their work. The All-Party Parliamentary Kidney Group (APPKG) will be requested to consider the report and their support will be sought.

At a local level, Clinical Directors of Renal Services in the UK, as well as chairpersons of Kidney Patient Associations (KPAs) have been requested to respond to the report by the NKF; outlining their plans to increase home dialysis provision. The NKF will publish a further update on progress in early 2023 and are optimistic that, with the support of the kidney community, the next report will show significant progress.

Honorary President of the NKF, Kirit Modi, said: “The NKF is pleased to publish this report but it does highlight the fact that we have a long way to go in reaching the 20% provision for home dialysis in all centres in the UK. The importance of dialysing at home, compared to dialysing at a centre, in keeping patients safer from COVID-19 is a key lesson the kidney community has learnt over the last two years. The NKF will, of course, continue to work in partnership with health professionals and the Governments to improve the current situation.”

To view the report in full visit here.