Links on STANDARDS OF RENAL
CARE
These links will tell you what
renal units are trying to do to serve you.
The
documents are official and so are a bit crusty but they are very informative.
So for
example we have a standard that says we want your blood potassium to be a
certain level. These standards and official guidelines explain what that level
should be and more interestingly WHY.
Another
example: By when should we have created a fistula in your arm for
haemodialysis. How long should you have to wait from referral to the vascular
surgeons to actually getting the operation?
These
nationally accepted standards and guidelines are put together in an attempt to
ensure you get the best service. By reading them you will know what the best
service means and then you can ask yourself if you are getting it. So reading
these texts will hopefully:
-
Show
you what we are trying to achieve and WHY.
-
Inform
you why we "tell you to do things" so you can understand why.
-
Put
you more in control of dealing with your kidney failure and living with
renal replacement therapy.
-
Empower you.
If you
wanted to become political in advancing the care for renal patients, again
these are the texts to read and you will find support with the
NKF
All
these files are in the PDF format. If needed, download the
Acrobat Reader here.
The
Links:
The Renal National Service
Framework (NSF) Part 1 [Jan 2004]
This is from the
Department of Health and sets out what service Renal Units should be aiming to
give. It can be found on the government pages at
HERE
or you can use the local link.
The Renal National
Service Framework (NSF) Part 2 [Feb 2005]
as for Part 1.
The
above two texts were more or less very well accepted by those with kidney
problems and renal staff but it was often remarked that no money came with
them in order to carry out the recommendations they suggested.
In
response to the Part 1 of the Renal NSF,
The Kidney
Alliance
(Go to their
HOMEPAGE here)
drew up a strategy to implement it. This
strategy was called "Criteria for Success". It was a way of evaluating if
Renal Units were managing to deliver the service standards the NSF implied.
You can download
"Criteria for
Success" 2005 here.
The Kidney
Alliance web site explains how renal care is structured in this
country and also
lists standards.
Government Health Page on Renal Services - click here.
NEWS - NHS news on Kidney Care.
"Welcome to Kidney Care
Matters Online, the e-communications tool from NHS Kidney Care that aims to
keep you informed and aware of what is happening across England to ensure
successful consistent implementation of the Renal NSF"
The Renal Association
is the
professional body for United Kingdom nephrologists (renal physicians, or
kidney doctors) and renal scientists in the UK. It has more recently come to
play an active role in the development of renal services within the U.K.
Usefully it has a
list of all the Renal Units in the UK.
The Renal
Association has also published it's
"Treatment of adults and children with renal failure;
Standards and audit measures".
The Vascular Society (UK) has information on
how it is best to deliver the services that are needed to make and maintain
fistulae (especially
the document titled,
"Vascular Access: Joint Working Party Report".)
The Renal Registry
is the web site that shows all the statistics of renal work in this
country. For example, are there more women than men on dialysis; how long is
the average life span for a certain age group on dialysis.
The Kidneys Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI)
is the American standard for kidney care. It is American and so not British,
but we follow them closely.
Dialysis
Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS)
There
are many other authoritative and recommended web sites and some of them are
found here.
