Researchers at the University of Exeter are looking for family members, partners, or friends of people living with kidney conditions to participate in an interview. 

Interviews will ask you about your needs, experiences receiving support, and views about online emotional support programmes.  

The results of this project will be used to understand more about what it is like to be a family member, partner, or friend of someone living with a kidney condition, and to inform the development of an emotional support programme for others like you. 

Contact Chelsea at c.coumoundouros@exeter.ac.uk if you want to learn more. 

Immunosuppressed patients can book

5th Jab (Spring Booster)

3 months after previous booster

• The Government has published details of the Spring vaccine booster for those over 75, those living in care homes and those aged over 12 who are immunosuppressed. This will be a fifth dose for people who are immunosuppressed and is intended to boost protection, which may wane over time.

• The Spring booster will be 6 months after the previous dose for many older people who had their last booster in Autumn 2021. However, eligible people who have had a vaccine dose more recently will be able to book a Spring booster as long as it is 3 months since the previous dose. This is to provide protection against a potential summer wave.
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•  Government website:.A guide to the spring booster for those aged 75 years and older and older residents in care homes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

To book online visit:  Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

CLICK HERE FOR COVID 19 ADVICE FROM NKF

Dialysis Away From Base Survey

Travel for dialysis patients is a real challenge - arranging dialysis away from base can be daunting, difficult and time consuming. As a result, travel for most patients is very limited. As the government loosens Covid restrictions, most of the population will regain their freedom to roam. But for many dialysis patients, unless changes are made, there is a risk that life may continue to feel like a permanent lockdown.

Dialysis Away is working with the NHS and kidney patient organisations to develop solutions for improved freedom for all dialysis patients.

They would like to hear from patients about their experiences with arranging dialysis away from base and have launched a survey, which is very short and only takes a few minutes to complete. The survey findings will be used to ensure the attention of policy makers on dialysis patient freedom.

If you would like to take part in this survey, here is the link : https://tinyurl.com/Dialysis-Travel-Survey

For more details about Dialysis Away visit their website: https://dialysisaway.com

Kidney Beam

Kidney Beam is an online service helping kidney patients take care of their physical and mental health. It offers you a way to improve your physical activity in your own home, which is especially important right now when many of you might still be wary of attending classes in person.

The online platform is hosted by specialist kidney professionals - from renal physiotherapists to renal counsellors - from a number of different NHS trusts and backgrounds, as well as people living with kidney disease. Kidney Beam is aimed at anyone over 16, with any ability, any kidney condition, and at any stage of kidney disease.

Click here for more details and to sign up

Home Dialysis

The National Kidney Federation is running a national campaign to encourage dialysis patients to consider dialysing at home rather than in a hospital. During the Covid 19 pandemic statistics emerged to show that home dialysis patients were at a lower risk of contracting the virus.

To help people make the transition NKF have launched a Peer Support service which offers short term practical and emotional support. If you would like to be put in touch with someone who has experience of home dialysis and who can talk to you about the process and share experiences, do get in touch by calling the NKF helpline: 0800 169 09 36 (9 am. - 5 pm, Monday to Friday)

or email helpline@kidney.org.uk

For full details of the Home Dialysis Peer Support Service click here

UK Renal Registry Report

The 23rd UK Renal Registry Annual Report has been issued.This contains a wealth of data and statistics relating to chronic kidney disease.

Click below to download the report.

Drive Through Blood Test Centre

The drive through blood testing facility has moved again (as from 5 July) and is now located at City Parkway, Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WA.

(Use the turn off for the Pentagon car showroom)

Click here to see the leaflet

PUZZLE BOOKS

SAKA has purchased a supply of Puzzle Books to be given to dialysis patients.

We know it is beneficial to keep our brains active and these puzzles will help to pass your time during your dialysis sessions.

If you would like one and have not been offered a copy, please ask a member of staff.

We would welcome any feedback on these books, or if you have any other ideas or suggestions about what else we could do to help:

please email: contact@saka.org.uk

SHARING GP DATA

From 1 September 2021 GP Practices across the UK will begin sharing patient data. The original start date was to be 5 July, but this has now been postponed.

The new General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) aims to reduce the burden on GP practices, allowing doctors and other staff to focus on patient care.

The NHS will share details about diagnoses, symptoms, medications, immunisations as well as your gender and ethnicity. They will not share your name and address or any written notes your GP may have.

For more details via the NKF website click here.

DIALYSIS BIKES AT SHEFFIELD DIALYSIS UNIT

SAKA has purchased 2 specialist bikes for patients at Heeley to use whilst dialysing.

These bikes have great benefits for patients. 

Haemodialysis patients generally spend 3-4 hours 3 or 4 times a week on dialysis. This equates to 4-6 weeks per year sitting or lying inactive whilst on dialysis. Physical inactivity can lead to poor physical performance, loss of bone strength, loss of appetite, muscle wasting, hypertension, fatigue and dependence. These complications are augmented in patients with kidney disease, which in itself can lead to muscle wasting and hypertension. As most haemodialysis patients spend a considerable amount of time travelling to and from and in a dialysis unit, they have less opportunity to exercise.

Exercise in the general population is associated with a number of benefits including:

• Improved blood pressure control
• Increased muscle strength
• Improved mental health and well being
• Improved physical function and maintenance of independence
• Improved sleep

There are further specific benefits noted in haemodialysis patients including:

• Improved efficiency of dialysis by increased muscle blood flow enhancing removal of toxins
• Improved nutrition
• Delay in end stage cachexia